We all have something that we wish we were good at – sport, music, art, business, etc. it doesn’t matter what it is we all want to be better at something.
What does it take though to be good, then better, then best at anything you try?
I’ll tell you…
PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
Doing it, working hard, sticking with it – whatever you want to call it, it’s all the same thing. In order to get good at something, or to improve on it, you need to practice doing it.
Why Practice?
Great question…it’s because by only DOING the work do you learn and get things DONE. Sitting around and thinking about how nice it would be to finally close off that big deal, or finish that painting, or create that program won’t do it.
But I’m afraid of failure Grant, what if I don’t succeed?
Not an excuse! You’ve already failed if you haven’t tried.
I’m scared of rejection though?
You’re not the first person to be rejected or not succeed at first, but if you get scared of rejection then you will never receive success.
I’ve been rejected in soccer – many times! and I’m actually really great at soccer and I managed to get far in my career despite those rejections. I’ve been rejected in business who knows how many times. I’ve been rejected in giving away FREE stuff! I mean come on, who doesn’t want FREE things that would help them!
But all those moments of rejection have taught me something, they’ve helped me to adapt, to improve, to grow, to learn. I’ve come out a better person because of it. If I hadn’t tried, I never would have learned and grown. I never would have created success because I’d still be dreaming of the things I wanted to do.
This article isn’t about me though and I want to share with you some great examples from the lives of people who have created success through this principle. So no more delays, here are just a few of the millions of people who have overcome failure, rejection, and the odds in order to create success:
MICHAEL JORDAN
Michael Jordan is the most celebrated basketball player of all time, but it wasn’t always that way.
In High School, he failed to make the Varsity Team and was driven to prove his worth. Ruby Smith, a physical education teacher at Emsley A. Laney High School (the High School Michael attended) said the following about Michael’s hard work:
“I normally get to school between 7:00 and 7:30. Michael would be at school before I would. Every time I’d come in and open these doors, I’d hear the basket ball. Fall, wintertime, summertime. Most mornings I had to run Michael out of the gym”.
One of Michael Jordan’s famous quotes is: “I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come“.
How many people would have quit after not making it, but Michael didn’t – he believed in himself, he pushed harder and harder (practice) at basketball in order to improve.
His most famous quote is simply this: “I’ve failed over, and over, and over again in my life… and that is why I succeed“.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
One of the most famous and possibly influential Presidents that the USA has ever had. He led the United States through it’s Civil War – thus preserving the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the Federal Government, and modernized the economy.
Before doing all of this though, this was his journey:
- 1832 – Lost job and defeated for legislature
- 1833 – Failed in business
- 1834 – Elected to legislature
- 1835 – Sweetheart (Ann Rutledge) died
- 1836 – Had nervous breakdown
- 1838 – Defeated for Speaker
- 1843 – Defeated for nomination for Congress
- 1846 – Elected to Congress
- 1848 – Lost renomination
- 1849 – Rejected for L and Officer
- 1854 – Defeated for Senate
- 1856 – Defeated for nomination for Vice-President
- 1858 – Defeated again for Senate
- 1860 – Elected as President of the USA
He was greatly successful, but he had to overcome vast obstacles, failure, rejection and trials in order to create that success. Abraham Lincoln didn’t have an easy road, and this is what he said: “Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed“.
MICHAEL “EDDIE THE EAGLE” EDWARDS
Nicknamed “Eddie the Eagle”, Michael always dreamed of being an Olympian. He represented Britain for Ski Jumping in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
He overcame many obstacles on his path to be an Olympian:
- At age 10 suffered from damaged cartilage in his left knee and had to wear a cast for 3 years.
- Began skiing at age 13 and made the British National team four years later for Downhill Skiing.
- At age 22 (2 years before the Olympics) he quit downhill skiing as he couldn’t afford it anymore, and decided to start Ski Jumping
- He had no money, no coach, no sponsors and no equipment
- Borrowed Ski’s and a helmet in order to learn, and found the help of two american coaches at Lake Placid
- Did any form of work in order to fund his training – babysitting, mowing lawns, cleaning floors, cooking, etc.
- Borrowed his mom’s car to travel the European Circuit in order to compete, dug for food in garbage bins, and even stayed in a Finnish mental hospital as he couldn’t afford any other accommodation.
- Broke his jaw and had to tie it up with a pillow case as he couldn’t afford to go to hospital.
Despite finishing last in the 70m and 90m jumps, his story of perseverance, commitment and determination is incredible to say the least. He did manage to beat his personal best, and the fact that he made his dream come true is success to me.
YOU
The next person is YOU.
This is the part where you begin to write your own success. I’m sure you have felt inspired as you have read this article, and that faint or maybe endearing voice inside of you has risen up and began to shut “You can do [insert dream/goal]!”
And maybe for a few seconds or longer you felt that “Yes! Yes I can!”.
Hold onto that feeling, that thought, that desire, because it is true.
All the stories I shared with you are but a few, you will not be the only person to face difficult challenges in business, in life, in striving for success. Only you decide what will hold you back.
It is said that “A journey of a thous and miles begins with a single step“
Today I am challenging you to take that first step. Right now, for only 5 minutes, you are going to spend on working on that dream you have been putting off. Turn off your phone, close your Facebook or other Social Media (unless you need it for your goal), and start writing that book, blog post, writing down your goals if you haven’t got any, pondering on your vision and creating your ‘vision board’…whatever it is that you need to do, do it now – take the first step.
My friend, your journey to success, to living your dream begins – not tomorrow or tonight or next week – it begins RIGHT NOW! Create your success today, because success is not a destination – it is found in the journey, it is created in the steps you will take daily from now on.
I want to hear what your dream is, and what it is that you will be working on? Leave me a comment below and I’ll be sure to comment back.
As for me, I’ll be creating “The Ultimate Goal Setting Guide” and sending that out in the next 2 weeks to our email subscribers for FREE, so keep a look out for it.
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Now get to creating your extraordinary life – success awaits you.
Your Friend
-Grant