[Note from Brian: I’m changing the day I post these from Monday to Tuesday. I don’t know about you, but my to-do list is packed on Monday morning, and I wouldn’t want to be lost in the shuffle.]
Nobody but the rarest prodigy is born great. The best athletes, artists, or scientists in the world were not great when they were 5 years old. They were just great for 5-year-olds.
What happens after that? You become the class athlete, artist or brainiac. You may get praise from teachers, status among peers, support from parents. You begin to study and master the thing you’re good at and get more positive feedback for that. Maybe you join a team, class or club to learn from others who excel at it. You practice for hours, not because you have to but because it lights up your brain like nothing else. Repeat that loop for years and, if you have the necessary physical and mental tools, you too could be great.
Unless you burn out. As Charles Schulz wrote for Linus to say, “There’s no heavier burden than a great potential!” Encouragement easily twists into discouraging pressure. Happens all the time. My daughters had a friend who was a talented athlete and could have gotten a university scholarship in her sport, but by the time she graduated high school she was done. It was no fun anymore.
Also, being a wunderkind rarely ages well. Competitors catch up. Skills that dazzle the world when you’re 10 aren’t as impressive at 30.
Self-motivation is the key. Do it because you love it, because you can’t imagine not doing it. Ironically, you only become the best when you realize your only true competition is yourself.
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