Anyone that has ever accomplished something worthwhile had plenty of doubters along the way. Whether in public or private, most people probably expect you to fail. Your goal could be to lose 30 pounds, perform a push-up, start a business or double your income. While you probably don’t aspire to colonize Mars like Elon Musk, your big goal will require a lot of effort and consistency.
Most people expect failure not only because of the hard work, but the stamina it will require. It’s easy to get excited about an idea while it’s new. The ideation phase is fun. Asking the “what if” question is exciting, but few “great ideas” make it much further. In the instant gratification age of social media, we get bored very easily. This is where the separation occurs.
Everyone has great ideas. It’s the easiest thing in the world to watch a football game and criticize the wide receiver for dropping the perfect pass. Spectating is fun. You have no skin in the game and can enjoy the thrilling entertainment of competition. It’s a different thing entirely to suit up, run a route, catch a football and try not to get crushed by the fast and strong defensive player that wants to destroy you.
That’s why the moment the time comes to roll up your sleeves and get to work, the spectators are suddenly gone. Everyone wants to tell you exactly how you should go about accomplishing your dreams, but none of them are willing to invest their time, money or energy (with the exception of a rare few). Talk is cheap, and anything worth having won’t come easy.
At some point, you have to make a decision. You have to decide what truly matters to you and start working towards turning that dream into a reality. Everyone knows the “perfect workout” to get in shape and the “amazing social media strategy” to get you business leads yet don’t apply what they know. I’m not saying don’t take advice, I’m simply cautioning you to blaze your own trail.
Starting anything and getting in the arena is hard. You will struggle, fail and make tons of mistakes. Learn, adapt and improve. I think you’ll be surprised by what you’re truly capable of.
Train your body. Feed your mind.
-Demarco
