“You only get what you give” – New Radicals

This is post #8 on my quest for 30 in 30.

Effort. It’s the number one tool that we all have in life and we are all capable of giving the same amount of it. Some of us may have other great abilities at our disposal whether they be physical ability or mental aptitude. But the one area where we are all equal is the amount of effort we are capable of giving.

There is a direct correlation between the amount of effort that we make and the the results that we get in life. Make a half hearted attempt and you’ll get less than stellar results. But fully commit yourself to whatever you are doing in your life and you will get everything you want and often times more. Being the best at something is all about effort.

Is there a doctor in the house?

I have a friend who is a doctor and while she’s great at what she does, it didn’t come easily. Where as most would take a direct route of college then med school then residency, etc, she didn’t have a natural comprehension for the subject she was studying. What she did have however was motivation. She wanted to be a doctor and nothing was going to stop her. So, where natural talent ended, effort took over. She worked her ass off because she had to. She knew she wouldn’t realize her dream if she didn’t. Naturally, all that effort paid off and today she’s a very well respected in her field.

To be or not to be?

On the flip side, I have another friend who is an actress. She’s exceptionally talented. I personally feel that she could one day make it to Broadway, but what she has in talent she lacks in effort. I’ve watched as she’s let acting rolls slip away because she doesn’t prepare, or take the time to really perfect her craft. The hardest part to see is that she realizes that there’s a problem. She admits to not making a huge effort in her career. At times she tries to find excuses and blame outside influences for where she is in her life but in truth she knows that in order to become the star that she can be, she’s going to have to work harder than has been.

This is how it is for all of us. It’s only through great effort that any of us will ever emerge from the sea of mediocrity. In this world if you want to be great, you have to put forth great effort. There are thousands of people that have as much talent as each of us does and more. Who comes out on top all comes down to who’s going to make the greatest effort.

Thanks for listening. Talk to you tomorrow
-JB
____________________

Today’s music: Get What You Give
by: New Radicals
Available on: