Greatness isn’t something that just happens. It requires hard work and preparation, it’s not something that we get up one day decide to do, and then hey presto the following day we have achieved it.
If that’s what you believe, then you are just a dreamer, and dreams without action are just a wishes, and wishes rarely – if ever – come true.
And if it was true, then everyone would be doing it, and it wouldn’t be perceived as that great after all.
For sure there are dozens of people with great natural talent, but that talent still needs nurturing and developing until it reaches its full potential.
To achieve greatness, or any goal, first we need a plan and then we need to work steadily towards achieving our goal.
How hard we need to work depends on how quickly we want to achieve success, the quicker we want to achieve it, the harder we will have to work. But we can also achieve it by taking our time and steadily working towards the goal, making progress each and every day, until finally we realise our goal.
Persistence and determination are just as important as talent.
There are many talented people who achieve very little, because they lack the determination and persistence to see things through to the end. They give up before they achieve their dreams because they are not prepared to put in the work needed to achieve them, hoping that talent alone will be enough.
Sadly, it’s not.
When I was younger I was a very keen rugby player, and I have lost count of the number of times I have played games against much more talented teams, but just because we wanted it more, we worked harder with more commitment and determination, and we have beaten them.
One of my favourite sayings is Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work by Thomas A. Edison.
So if you want to be an overnight success, then you need to be prepared to put in the months, and potentially years, of hard work. Or you can continue to dream and hope that your wish comes true. Good luck with that!