Monday, February 22, 2010

THE TRUE SECRET TO SUCCESS - REVEALED!!!

I am reposting this for three reasons:
1. It will eventually fall in line with this months superhero theme.
2. Because sometime I need to be reminded of certain things
3. It's a powerful piece so this is it's 2nd Re-posting
4. Because I wrote it dammit, and I can do that! THIS IS MY HOUSE!!! (Like my dad would say!)

Re-read and enjoy!

THE TRUE SECRET TO SUCCESS - REVEALED!!!


I think I have found one of the key ingredients that make successful people successful. This is such a profound thought because in all of the numerous mind numbing literature I have read about success, self improvement, leadership etc. I have never been privy to this information.

Now I’m passing it on to my readers free of charge.

Here goes:

How many people actually give 100% of themselves at anything? You can always say you tried hard, but can you really say that you gave 100%? 100% is usually used for a select group of people like Olympians, recovering addicts, and professional athletes.

We tried to dissect ourselves to try and rationalize the reason that 100% effort is not given. The only thing that we could come up with, is the fact that the pay off is not guaranteed. I think the other reason why 100% isn't given is because on most all occasions 85% is more then enough to propel you to society’s definition of success.

If someone told you that they would give you a million dollars to run a 6 minute mile 3 months from now, your life would change immediately. If you seriously signed a contract and the money was put right under your nose, you would put down the large fries and start training. Per the agreement you are not allowed.....
to quit your job, or spend any less time with your family, but you can do anything else to prepare for your six minute mile. Somehow, you would make time to train. You would replace all your reading material with running information. You would have sweat suits in your car for a run before you got home and before work. You would replace all of your internet browsing bookmarks with running sites, messageboards and blogs. You would be fitness crazy. Only a fool wouldn’t give a 100%

This is the mind game that some worldclass athletes are brainwashed into when they are young. A perfect example of this is in the Spike Lee movie "He Got Game". It's about a basketball prodigy, Jesus Shuttlesworth (played by Ray Allen), and his relationship with his father, Jake Shuttlesworth (played by Denzel Washington). During the movie they show flashbacks of the basketball prodigy and his father. They are shown on the basketball court at night, doing running drills. Jake is running with a young Jesus telling him, "The only two people up right now are you and Michael Jordan, and what is Michael doing, training. ". Then he beginns to instill the guarantee of success in his child, " What are you gonna by your mama, What kind of house? ". So Jersus is brainwashed into thinking that if he gives 100% he would be the best basketball player in the US. There was no doubt, so that 100% is not hard to do.

Tiger Woods had this same advantage since he was a kid and continues to enjoy it. He can give 100% daily because he knows that he will win and become the best in the world. Players like Phil Mickelson, find it hard to give 100% working on their game because Tiger has already defeated them mentally. Why give 100% when you know you will never be better then Tiger. Phil can give 85% and still be one of the top players in the world. For fat Phil, that is good enough.



What does all this mean?

The reason that we don't give 100% is fear of failure. Fear that we would give everything we possibly have, to reach a goal and not hit it. We would rather give 85% percent and fail, saying at least I tried, then to go hard for 100%.

This applies to me and my resistance to give 100% to my outside endeavors. What am I afraid of? I will try and concentrate on the reward rather then the failure. If I realize the reward as concrete then I should be able to go 100%.

Sounds good in theory but can I apply it? 85% has been good enough to make me moderately successful in the past. Am I all talk and no action?
Knowing this information has put the responsibility of my success on me not any outside excuses.

If you are reading this, you know it’s true, and your success has now been placed in your hands and know one else’s. I have chosen to accept this responsibility because I need to be successful, by our definition of success. There is no other alternative for me. Rich or nothing.

LET’S GO!


-MJL

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2 comments:

Kimmy said...

CPIFM, You have successfully hit the nail on the head as they use to say. My Father told me long ago, "It is worse thinking about a thing you must do, than it is to just do it." This was long before Nike but it, too echoes the same sentiment, JUST DO IT.
That is one of the many reasons I love Eleanor Roosevelt and her quotes, one of which is my personal favorite: "You must do the things you think you cannot do." And I must add, and sit back and watch your naysayers cringe in the process!
Love your blog and your always persistent, ambitious attitude. Now, carry on 100% CPIFM!

FTB: The Company said...

As usual thanks for the insightful words Kimmy. You know I have been a fan ofy Yours for quite sometime!

Sounds like Nike might owe your father some Royalties. :)