261
“You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.”
— Zig Ziglar
It’s difficult to get into the mode of thinking like a successful person if you are unsure of the unique abilities you have to offer. You begin to sabotage your success when you start thinking thoughts like, “I’m not that unique” or “I don’t really have anything new to contribute.”
Are you acutely aware of your abilities? You’ve worked through a number of exercises in this book to discover the things that interest you and draw your attention. You have also done some work to unearth your unique talents. Now is the time for you to get really specific. What precise endeavors do you want to pursue? Where will your abilities be used to the fullest?
As this quote suggests, you are the only person who can use your ability. If you don’t take advantage of your particular gifts, they will go to waste. Look at your current profession or the vocation you intend to pursue. Is it the best use of your ability? Very often people choose a job that is safe or easy, and they only use a small portion of their abilities each day. Are you willing to let your talents be wasted in that way?
Write down everything you did yesterday, and then write down what percentage of your overall talents were used during that day. If it’s below 50 percent, you need to make a change. To be successful you must spend at least half of your day on tasks that show off your natural ability and allow you to grow and excel and contribute your unique gifts.
DAY
262
“Knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can do. In fact, that’s good taste.”
— Lucille Ball
It’s painful to watch someone relentlessly pursue something for which they have no talent. Sandy had a romantic notion from the age of about thirteen of being a wedding planner. She loved weddings. Unfortunately, Sandy did not have the right set of talents for the job. She was not organized; she wasn’t a very social person; her personal skills were lacking; and she was a horrible negotiator. After numerous failed attempts to start a business, Sandy finally realized this was not her forte. Quite by accident, she found out that where she really excelled was in designing wedding invitations. She transferred her efforts to something she did well, and her new business took off.
Knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can do. Make sure you’re not wasting valuable time trying to break into an area that isn’t right for you. Ask yourself the following questions:
Does this always seem difficult, like I’m fighting upstream?
Am I having fun?
Do I look forward to going to work to pursue this area of success?
If your answers give you pause, you might be in the wrong field. Don’t waste your time on what you can’t do. It’s good taste to go with your strengths.
DAY
263
“Ability without ambition is like kindling wood without the spark.”
— Anonymous
Let’s say you found out without a doubt where your talents lie. You know exactly what you should pursue in order to achieve success. The only problem: your get up and go got up and left. You feel lethargic, and you don’t have any ambition. You’re lacking the fuel to propel you to success. You are thinking maybe it would be better to wait for a moment when you are ready.
What should you do?
Snap out of it!
You’re wasting valuable time trying to work up the energy to grab onto opportunity. It’s like being in the same room with a priceless treasure but not having the energy to cross the floor to get it. It’s that ridiculous. Success is just sitting there waiting for you. Who cares whether or not you “feel like” going for it? If you wait around to be in the right mood, someone else will steal your opportunity while you’re putting off achievement.
As the quote suggests, you may be standing in front of a huge stack of firewood. Without a spark it doesn’t have much of a chance to turn into a roaring fire. It doesn’t matter how talented you are; you have to follow ability with hard work. So get out there and stack up that kindling —and then light the match. You can turn opportunity into a blazing fire in a very short time if you are willing to do the work.
DAY
264
“We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.”
— Stevie Wonder
Everyone has ability. We have that in common. If you want to be uncommon, you have to find a great way to use your ability. Are you starting to formulate some good ideas on how you can do that?
List your abilities again in your journal. Look over your list and let yourself be a little smug. You are one cool individual. Are you ready to turn your ability into success? Scoop up those abilities and put them to work. Are you good with numbers? How can you capitalize on that talent? Are you artistic? What can you do to build on your artistic nature and come up with something really unique? Do you excel in the sciences? How can you get into a position where you have more of a chance to pursue your talents in that area?
You understand by now that it is not good enough simply to be talented. You need follow-through to make this work. No one can tell you exactly what route to take to reach success. You have to find your own opportunities.
Singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist Stevie Wonder has been blind since birth, but he has not centered his life on his physical challenges. He recognized that he had talent as a musician at a very early age, and by the time he was eleven years old he signed his first contract with Motown Records. Now he boasts a pile of top-ten hits and awards that reflect his success. Stevie Wonder knew how to use his ability. He followed through by working hard to expose his talents to their full extent, and now he is without question a success. There is nothing stopping you from doing the exactly the same.
DAY
265
“I’ve had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven’t run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can’t outwork you, then smarts aren’t going to do them much good. That’s just the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you’d be surprised at how much fun you can have.”
— Woody Hayes
If you are suffering from a feeling of inferiority in the smarts department, don’t worry about it. It won’t keep you from achieving your dreams. You have a weapon, and that is hard work. You don’t have to be brilliant to be successful. History is littered with people who had mediocre talents but excelled through their extraordinary ability to outwork everyone around them.
Do you know what this means? (This may be unfortunate if you have a lazy side.) You have no excuse not to be a success. You deserve to achieve your dreams every bit as much as anyone else. It all comes back to effort. Are you willing to put in the effort you need in order to achieve success?