Staying Power

Staying Power

We’ve all seen it a dozen times.  Someone crosses our path who exhibits an amazing amount of raw talent and we stand back in awe.  What might they become?  Surely they will go far in life.

Perhaps that has been said of you, or someone you know. 

And then reality sets in.  That shining star fades from sight only to be replaced by the next brilliant talent that came along. 

I’ve seen this a few times.  I’ve wondered about it.  Pondered it. 

Here is what I have concluded: 

Raw talent is good, but without nurture, development and focus it will soon fade into the background.

It boils down to this:

~What do you want? 

~How far do you want to go? 

~What kind of investment are you willing to make?

The Beatles weren’t the Beatles because they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9, 1964.  They were the Beatles because they played hour after hour in seedy, shoddy, no-name bars.  They were the Beatles because they worked hard at their craft, writing song after song and then testing them before a live audience. 

They were listened to, ignored, tolerated; they got discouraged and nearly gave up.  Finally, they gained a following.  They became the Beatles because they persevered.  They had hope and they persevered. 

It wasn’t luck. 

They had staying power.

Yoyo Ma is Yoyo Ma because he spent isolated hours in practice rooms perfecting his technique on the cello.  Yes, he started playing at age four.  Yes, he came from good musical stock.  Both parents had acute musical skills, but he had the staying power needed to continue his potential as a world-class cellist.  And now the world knows his name.

Arnold Schwarzenegger became Mr. Universe first in his mind, and then he did the hard work that it took to become a champion body builder.  He later won the Mr. Olympia title seven times.  He wasn’t born Mr. Olympia.  He wasn’t born with bulging muscles.  He became Mr. Olympia because he had a dream and he had staying power. 

Wayne Gretzky is touted as one of the great hockey players of all time.  It is said that he could anticipate where the hockey puck was going to be and he would then skate to that spot.  He didn't learn to do that in one game or one season.  He didn’t wait until he was twenty-one to become a hockey great.  He started at age fifteen.  He wasn’t the fastest skater and he wasn’t the strongest, but he became the greatest.  He had a dream and he had staying power.

It all boils down to this: 

How you start is important,

but not nearly as important

as how you finish.

It’s staying power that matters. 

-What are your hopes and dreams?

-What would you do if you knew you could be immensely successful at it?

-Where are you today?

-What’s the next step toward your hope and dream?

I hope you find the stuff inside of you to go after your dream. 

You can, you know.  Just develop staying power!

A determined soul will do more

with a rusty monkey wrench

than a loafer will

with a shop full

of the latest tools.

-Rupert Hughes

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time