Things that the guys at the top have to hear:
Naturally talented
Gifted
Freak
Truth is, everyone at the top of the food chain is naturally talented. The other truth is that we are all naturally talented. The difference between the best and the rest is the level of understanding, application, and hard work put in around this talent.
I have worked with some incredible people over the years. Some were highly gifted but didn’t do the work. These people went as far as natural ability would take them and got beat by people that worked harder and cared more. I also had people chasing dreams that they were not built to fulfill. Some of these people went far while others had to accept reality and go find where their true talents were. Some people can work past the obstacles while others are just not built to do it. Literally not built to do it. At 4’9, some guys can’t compete against 5’8 and up people in the weight class.
If you are ignoring your talents and coming up with excuses, you are not a champion. Champions don’t fight who they are, they fight because they know who they are and they win because they do the work. Don’t kid yourself and try to act as if other people are more special than you. You may not be NBA sized, but you are the right size for something, you have the right natural skill set to get on the path to greatness in something. It is your job to figure this out.
At the highest levels, everyone is highly skilled. What separates the greatest from the great is the work. Being the 1st on and the last off does not guarantee anything but it a necessity if you want to be the best in what it is you do. Every corner you cut, minute you slack, seconds you coast… all opportunity for the challengers to take your title.
We are all who we are. The key to success is not emulating anyone and just figuring out our own situations out. Figure out who you are, where you talents are, and do the work. Don’t sell yourself short, don’t listen to the social megaphone, and don’t let anyone or anything dissuade you from what you know you were born to be.
Brian Wright