A thought by John C. Maxwell from his
book, Beyond Talent (p. 91).
HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to
Amazon.com to buy the book.)
Preparation isn’t necessarily exciting
but it is so beneficial. It can make
all of the difference.
John says, “Talent plus preparation
often leads to success. Talent minus preparation often leads to disaster.”
He goes on, “Authors Don Beveridge Jr.
and Jeffrey P. Davidson believe that lack of preparation is the primary reason
for business failure today. ‘Poorly educated, poorly prepared, and poorly
trained people fail because they do not have the skills or expertise to
perform,’ they say. ‘Inadequate financing, the number-one reason businesses
fail, can also be traced to lack of preparation.’ (The Achievement Challenge: How to Be a 10 in Business)”
John later says, “A frustrating
thing about preparation is that it usually takes much more time than the actual
event one prepares for. Musicians may practice many hours preparing to perform
a three-minute piece. Stage actors practice for weeks to prepare for a
performance that lasts two hours. I know that when I create a leadership lesson
that may take me less than an hour to deliver, it usually takes me eight to ten
hours to write it. Discipline is required to keep preparing long hours for
something that will be over quickly.
“Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father
of the United States and its first secretary of the treasury, said, ‘Men give
me credit for genius; but all the genius I have lies in this: When I have a
subject on hand I study it profoundly.’ Hamilton was a disciplined and highly
productive man. He understood that no matter your circumstances, resources, or
natural talent, certain things were always within your control—your ability to
work harder and smarter than anybody else. That bears remembering as you
prepare yourself for the challenges that lay ahead of you.”
That is so important to remember and to
put into practice. So start preparing, Ok?
Yes, yes!
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