What it takes
“Do I have what it takes?” A regular question proposed to me over the years and one that I had often asked myself, and still do. Whenever this question would be presented, I have always had the same response, “Everyone has what it takes, that is not the question; it's a matter of whether or not you are willing to do what it will take in order to achieve your goals. A question of what you are willing to sacrifice, fail through and endure.” No one can ever tell you if you can make it or not, although there will be countless that will try. You and you alone have the answer.
Genetics, natural ability and having the right opportunities are all factors, of course, but we all have unique circumstances to overcome. Far too often we use the fact that we do not have the same things as others as a reason that we cannot achieve what they did. There is an infinite list of pieces to this puzzle, and everyone’s puzzle looks different. We can follow someone else’s path precisely yet still not arrive at the same destination. We could all magically receive the same exact unique combination of elements yet it still would result in different outcomes. This is why yes, it is good to have guidance and things that will help to steer you in the right direction but when it comes down to it, we all must pave our own paths. What has worked for one may be detrimental to another and vice versa
That is the beautifully unique yet painfully annoying aspect of life; we all must find our own ways.
I allowed questions like these keep me from going after my dreams for more than a decade and spent half of my life living in defeat: Could I really make it? Am I too old to start, am I too far behind? Will people laugh at me? Will I go in there and just make a fool of myself? Everyone has doubts, even those we view as having already made it. It is not as if these things magically go away, sometimes they even get worse, particularly when our dream expands. Uncertainty still creeps its ugly head in from time to time and at times, still gets the best of me.
We are going to have to work and work harder than we could have ever imagined in order to achieve the results that we want. Unfortunately, it is those that are born with the most gifts and privilege that usually tend to take them for granted and never reach the heights they could have. I would rather have someone with no talent but a strong work ethic every day over someone that was born with everything and refuses to push themselves. I cannot tell you how many fighters I have known that could have had everything that they said they wanted but took their talent for granted and thought that it would get them to the top without ever having to put the work in. For the most part, they are correct, it can get them farther than most, particularly in the beginning, but eventually it will catch up to you. At some point, there will be someone who was not handed everything and wants it more than you do and that desire will overcome any shortcomings that they may have. What often ends up occurring is that they will learn this lesson far too late and it is extremely difficult to suddenly develop a work ethic when you have spent so much of your time coasting.
“Do I have what it takes?” My answer should be insignificant to you. Of course, it is always nice to have others believe in you but the only person that truly needs to believe in you is YOU! Even if doubters, haters and a world of negativity surround you, if you have something you want to do and believe in your heart that it is what you were meant for then go for it, believe in yourself and one day others will too. Regardless of what others say, they are only opinions and opinions are beliefs, and beliefs, though they may be based on some facts, are just biased feelings.
In a very real sense, we are all truly on our own in the sense that we must pave our own unique paths.
”Hard work beats talent that won't work hard.”-Tim Notke
-The end