Most people think success comes from extraordinary talent. I disagree. I think what most people see as talent is actually disguised as hard work. I tell my athletes all the time, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work!” I’ll take a good work ethic any day over talent.
Farnam Street talks about talent in their weekly blog:
“What separates good work from great isn’t talent but persistence. The most successful people aren’t those who feel motivated all the time; they’re the ones who work even when they don’t feel like it. Too often, waiting to feel ready means never starting. Outliers act despite their feelings, not because of them.”
When I think about persistence, I think about sports and competition. However, persistence should apply to all areas of our life. Here are a few examples:
- We should be persistent in the pursuit of our goals.
- We should be persistent in learning new things.
- In ranching, we should be persistent in culling our cows.
- In farming, we should be persistent in building our soils.
- In our spiritual life, we should be persistent in prayer.
Persistence also brings about a sense of humility. When we struggle, we are more likely to recognize our shortcomings. This grounds us and gives us the opportunity for introspection.
Persistence isn’t about immediate results. The result is the byproduct. We need to learn to enjoy the process. This is where the real learning takes place!
Quote Worth Re-Quoting
“Talent is nothing without persistence.” ~ Dean Crawford