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Determination

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I recently saw a post that reminded me failure is not an indicator of future success.

Take note:

  • Tom Brady wasn,t selected until the 6th round of the NFL draft (199th pick) due to slow foot speed, lack of arm strength,  couldn’t throw a tight spiral and said he couldn’t improvise if a play broke down
  • The greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, was cut from his high school team.
  • Walt Disney was fired from his job at a newspaper early in his career–they said he lacked imagination.
  • Jerry Seinfeld was booed off stage in his first stand-up comedy appearance.
  • Sir James Dyson suffered through 5,126 failed prototypes before he landed on the first working Dyson vacuum.

There are many, many other examples, both of famous personages  and not so famous people, that reinforce the concept, determination and persistence do lead to success.

Personal Experience

In the mid-2000’s, I was in a career rut and needed a change. In the past I had sought to move myself in different directions with middling success.

This time, I decided to persist until I made the career move of my dreams.  It took over approximately 350 direct and indirect applications over 7 months, resulting in more than 50 interviews (some I rejected myself, some I was not successful).

Ultimately, I did secure the job of my dreams, senior director of a large application development  and support team.  This only occurred through perseverance.

Simple Advice

Like the advice in the post I recently read, directed to an individual searching a career change, don’t be disheartened by failure, the odds   are in your favour for success in the long term, keep on going, you will get there.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Use it or Lose it

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Abilities not used are abilities wasted. That is, when you have the capability to achieve something worthwhile, yet choose not to, no purpose is served, an opportunity is wasted.

Of course every action, our entire behaviour throughout life does not have to be purpose focused; however, not being all you can be does seem to be a misuse of your time on earth.

For Your Pleasure

Having a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment is subjective to an extent.  Recognizing variations to the magnitude of impact,  when some activity is considered pleasurable it would probably be considered pleasurable by others as well.

In general, things that create pleasure for one person often generate similar feelings for others.   Accomplishment and satisfaction are generally pleasurable to all.

By inference, using your capabilities to the max, rather than letting them be idle, will lead to accomplishment, satisfaction, and pleasure.  It is worth extending yourself.

Missed Opportunity

If you don’t try using your ability when the opportunity presents itself you may not get another chance.  If you don’t leverage your abilities to the maximum when you can, you might lose the ability to do so (use it or lose it)

A word of caution though,  stretching your abilities beyond your known capability is not recommended.  This could be painful and have negative consequences.

However, when you have the ability to try with a reasonable expectation of success to not do so is a waste.  Don’t be wasteful, go for it.