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Mastery of any anything is a long and arduous process. The truth of the matter is that you will never completely master any subject, you will only find better ways of doing it. Long before most people get to the mastery stage they will quit and option for a much easier path. Mastery is only a path that is fit for a true champion who is ready to weather the storm – and there will be storms (lots of them).
It has been my experience that most people would rather hide somewhere in a cubicle and complain how paltry their social “security” check will be if they live long enough to draw on it. They have succumbed to the lure of humpback Wednesdays and TGIFs. They see all of the abundance around them but somehow think that these things are for reserved for others. Cubes (short for cubicles) as I call them are easily recognized because they often begin their sentences with “someday.” Someday I’ll be rich, someday I’ll win the lottery, someday I’ll go for my dreams, someday a rich man/woman will sweep me off my feet, or someday my rich aunt will die and leave me her fortune but that day never seems to arrive.
Why do these cubes never take the first step? There are many reasons but too many to name here so I will only site a few of them. One of the main reasons is that have been conditioned to be underachievers. No, they don’t do this consciously but it happens nevertheless. Parents, television, radio, newspaper, church, friends and co-workers have dripped low-level thoughts on them for so long that they’re now second nature. In fact, the stinky thinking is so strong that many of those who suffer from it will not be able to comprehend what I’m saying if and when they read this post. Programming can be so strong that when you see a pink elephant in the room you won’t even be able to see it much less identify what it is.
Another reason why cubes don’t take the first step is out of fear. They fear looking silly, they fear not being able to provide for themselves and their families, they fear not being totally incompetent about their new adventure, they fear being ridiculed and made fun of, they fear success and they fear failure. Fear is paralyzing and when you couple fear with years of conditioning it’s a tough row to hoe.
The last reason I’ll mention here why cubes don’t take the first step toward a more robust life is complacency. When you’re in a groove, whether it’s taking the world by storm or being the ultimate couch potato, it’s tough to get the tide flowing in a different direction. Complacency is the nemesis of creativity. The only way to step outside of the world that you’ve created is to believe that another world exists and that you are capable of stepping into that new world.
It has been my experience that you have to put in about 3 – 5 years of consistent effort. If you’re not willing to put in this amount of time and be consistent about it then you may as well not begin the task. You will look and feel silly at times because it will feel that you aren’t making any progress. Others will look at you with glassy eyes and mumble to themselves how much a fool you are and why don’t you just get a regular job. Just smile and know this is a real indication that you are on the right path.
Just be sure that you are seeing incremental improvements each month no matter how small and whatever you do – don’t give up and don’t quit. In fact, the best advice that an astute businessman once gave me about success in the form of two words as he gently closed the door – Don’t Quit.
There are many people that I’m inspired by but one person that comes to mind is Gary Vaynerchuk. Chances are if you love wine, building a brand or marketing online that you heard of him. Gary started Wine Library in 2006 and shot his first video on February 21, 2006 and he was virtually unheard of at the time. Fast forward a little over 4 years and now he’s all of the Internet, has his own radio show, has written one New York best selling book and working on another one.
The point I wish to bring out is what is possible when you don’t quit. What would have happened if he had given up after shooting his 2oth video? Who knows but you can be fairly certain not much in the way of success would have occurred. Check out his first video shot more than four years ago at the link below and compare that to his 909th video immediately following it. There’s no comparison as you will see but most people are not willing to be bad long enough at anything until they look good at something.
Gary’s 1st Video
Gary’s 909th Video
It’s you’re life and what you make of it is your business.
That’s my spin on it.
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