Talent varies from person to person. Some people naturally have a greater aptitude for some things, others are more naturally gifted in different areas. It is one way everyone is different and unique. When you see a top performer in any role, they tend to make it look effortless. Think about those you admire in sports. How about the best business presenters or motivational speakers, manager and entrepreneurs. It's down to natural talent, right?
Well, maybe in part, but there is something more important in play.
What you don't see when these individuals are performing, is the preparation that they have put in to achieve this level of excellence. In his book "Outliers", Malcolm Gladwell suggest that achieving world class performance requires a minimum of 10,000 hours practice. That is a tremendously long time!
Of course, 10,000 hours practice isn't feasible for you to become a great presenter for example, but the point still applies. Delivering competently requires a lot of targeted preparation.
It is easy to spot when someone is under prepared. If you have ever seen a presentation where the presenter couldn't work the technology, hadn't really been through his or her slides or was unprepared for the simplest questions, you will have experienced this. It is embarrassing for all parties and creates an unfavorable impression.
This is true in virtually all business activities and it doesn't need to be that way!
Of course, talent IS important and a natural ability will make it easier to shine, but the following points apply to all who aspire to success in a given activity.
Clear Goal - What is your desired outcome? By when? How will you know when you get there and measure your progress toward it? May be long term or for a specific activity or event
What do you need to achieve that? Resources and skills particularly. You can develop skills, identify and find resources you need. It is ESSENTIAL you understand what these are so you can acquire what is necessary
Set out the plan Put together realistic time frames. Review them and then add at least 50% more time. If that means you need to extend the time frame, or increase the effort you allocate, incorporate that into your schedule. Remember: just because it LOOKS easy, doesn't mean it is
Take action Sounds obvious. Planning is important but as soon as you begin to take action the plan will probably change! That doesn't make planning irrelevant at all but you need to be flexible. Planning without action will get you nowhere
Practice, then practice some more There is a reason great sports stars practice a lot. A LOT. You learn from practicing a skill. When you think you have mastered it, practice some more. Then again. Throw in different scenarios, get feedback from your peers and critics, amend and practice again. There is no shortcut here. You will learn from practicing and doing, in a way you never will from just reading or thinking about it
Avoid complacency Any time you think you have everything under control, especially if you haven't been through the practice cycle, beware. Surprises happen. You can't anticipate them all but learning a skill thoroughly will mean you are prepared for the unexpected and will be able to adjust accordingly
Take responsibility It's up to you. You can achieve great things when you set your mind to it. Avoid blaming a lack of talent, your tools, other people, the economy, the weather etc. When you accept you are in control of your learning, setbacks and surprises will be opportunities for you to develop and do it better next time.
Again, talent is important. You will find you are better at some things than others. However might be surprised at what you can achieve and learn through dedicated effort. Winging it without preparation is not a great strategy!
Jerry Smith is the co-founder of Marketing Action Club, focusing on small service based businesses and independent professionals who want to grow but struggle to attract quality clients consistently.
Visit http://www.marketingactionclub.com for more resources on how to market your small business effectively
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