More Important than Talent, Training, Intellect, and Good Looks…

You gotta have talent. Great training can help.  Brains and vision are crucial. And do add some sizzle to the steak… 

 …But that’s not enough. These elements, alone, rarely work.  In fact, you’re missing the most important ingredient.

  P E R S I S T E N C E

We often give up far too easily, even when a potential winner is within our grasp.  We don’t practice enough.  We move on after 2 or 3 e-mails go unanswered.  We change career directions when immediate results aren’t evident.    

But success requires time, follow-through, and commitment.  If you’re not in it for the long haul, don’t expect miracles.    

 “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

      -  Calvin Coolidge, 30^th President of the United States

4 Responses to “More Important than Talent, Training, Intellect, and Good Looks…”

1. Jason Parker says:

   December 24, 2009 at 4:30 pm

   Hi David,

   Great post. I couldn’t agree more. I often say that I’m not the best trumpet player in Seattle…I’m not even the 10th best. But I work more than most of those 10 because of my persistence and hard work.

   Glad I found your blog. I look forward to digging deeper.

   Jason
   http://oneworkingmusician.com
2. David Cutler says:

   December 29, 2009 at 6:51 pm

   Amen, Jason. Glad to hear your persistence is paying off!
3. Rebecca Cohn says:

   January 5, 2010 at 3:54 am

   The amazing Randy Pausch from the Last Lecture summarizes this perfectly:

   “Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people.”
4. lecture recital says:

   March 19, 2010 at 11:28 am

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