Why Are Some People More Successful Than Others By Robert Stevenson
There are several reasons why some people are more successful than others. Successful people have PERSISTENCE, DESIRE, and ALWAYS GET UP WHEN KNOCKED DOWN (to name just a few of their character traits). Successful people understand that success comes to those who hang on longer than others. They have decided where it is they want to go and then go over, around or through whatever obstacles stand in their way. This is the point I want to discuss today … how they GET THERE.
Every person has gifts and talents but it is up to them to hone their gifts and talents in order to seize the opportunities they can bring. This honing … practicing … enhancing … perfecting process is what separates those who succeed from those who don’t. Your personal level of success is directly related to the amount of study and practice you put in.
Based on a 40-hour workweek, you would have approximately 1,960 work hours per year. According to a study by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) the average number of hours spent in a classroom by an American worker is 26.3 hours per year. That would mean the average American worker spends less than 1.5% of their workday perfecting their profession. Therefore, on average, American workers spend only 6.5 minutes per day developing their talent.
A Gold Medal gymnast training for a single Olympic event will have practiced their routine over 5,000 times and done over 100,000 repetitions of various skills. Janet Evans, a three-time Olympian and winner of four Olympic Gold Medals, swam over 45,000 miles in practice over her 12 year career. That means, every year for 12 years, she swam from Key West, Florida, to Seattle, Washington, and would still have another 400 miles to swim. Michael Phelps, who has won the most Olympic Gold Medals, (18 Gold and 22 Olympic medals in all) trained 6 hours per day, 6 days per week.
These facts should make it obvious that to be successful at anything requires a lot of practice. Whatever your profession is, athletic or non-athletic… if you don’t practice you will not improve.
One well-developed talent/skill is worth far more than a hundred unrefined ones. The choice is yours. You can stand out and be noticed as a true talent or blend in with the multitude of average folks who just put in the bare minimum to get by. What are you doing every day to perfect your skills?
The defining moment in your journey towards the success you desire will be when you decide to put in the time to excel at your profession. You will be amazed what you can do when study and practice are part of your daily routine, which, by the way … should never stop.
THERE IS NO SUCCESS WITHOUT PRACTICE
For more information on Robert, click on http://www.speakernow.com/espeakers/6560/Robert-Stevenson.html?topic=-1