I’ve been asked more than once what’s the secret to zero talent to my success. It’s not a secret formula. It really doesn’t take much. It’s simply doing some things a lot better than many other people do. And, it’s understanding that these things don’t require any special talent on my part. That’s right. I don’t have to be a prodigious businessman. All I have to be is aware of doing certain things better than the next guy.
In fact, if you Google “10 things that require zero talent,” you’re going to find countless images and motivation to help you become aware of your own success.
My favorite one is the following. It’s been attributed to a few people, so I can’t give credit, but I’ve been inspired by it and believe in the truth of this motivational list:
- Being on time
- Work ethic
- Effort
- Body language
- Energy
- Attitude
- Passion
- Being coachable
- Doing extra
- Being prepared
I want to highlight my personal favorite: attitude. In my view, if you don’t have the right attitude, you can’t do anything else well and consistently. It all begins and ends right with that word.
It all begins and ends with that mindset.
When people ask me about my success, I think that’s probably the most important word. It’s the one word that immediately comes to mind. If you don’t feel like a winner, you’re not. The simple fact is you can’t possibly win if you think you’re going to lose. If you think you can’t do anything, you won’t. If you feel helpless or like a victim, as opposed to a strong survivor and champion, you’re beaten before you’ve even started.
Your attitude determines everything. It dictates how far you’re going to get and how you’ll deal with challenges that come up along the way.
No one says life is easy. In fact, life owes you absolutely nothing. If you’re feeling entitled to anything right about now, stop it. Life is a wise teacher and she’s even taught kings and queens throughout history that they can lose everything. I’ll add that no one owes you anything. Not only is life a game of chance which can deal a great hand or a bad card, but no one has to come to the rescue if and when does.
The only way to begin to navigate the choppy waters of your journey is with the right attitude. And, from that point, you can build on the other things, such as being on time or doing extra. But, before anything else, make sure you have the right attitude.