Why You Can Accomplish Even Your Wildest Dreams

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My daughter, Sara, is turning six months old. She came into this world knowing nothing, but she was eager to learn. After all, it was necessary to survive. On her first days out of her mommy's tummy, she didn't even know how to drink milk! Eventually, she mastered the art. She didn't know her hands existed, but slowly and surely, she learned to use them. She didn't know how to smile, but she is now the happiest baby on earth. She wasn't born with the muscle strength to crawl, but she is starting to try that now too. She is struggling, but she will get it because she will keep trying. She didn't know how to do anything at first, but she will master them all. She even managed to teach us a bit on personal finance.

Not Being Told You Can't

When we were kids, we wanted to do everything. We were running around bumping our heads into the corners of our desks. We would fall down, cry, get up and do it all over. We pretty much didn't know how to do anything, but we didn't care. We just kept at it and eventually learned everything. What happened?

Once We Grow Up

Perhaps it's all the negativity that keeps telling us no, no, and no. Maybe it's the fear of failure that we've developed through the years. Or perhaps it's our impatience and lack of appreciation for how much time mastering an art takes. For whatever reason, we became doubters. Doubters of ourselves, and doubters of what we can accomplish with persistence and hard work.

You Learn Everything

I run a business that's become a pretty big operation, but I'd be lying if I told you everything was just expected and I knew exactly what I was (am) doing. I started small, worked countless hours, made mistakes, adjusted and tried again. I have a good idea of what I want to do with the venture now, but if someone just handed me the business at its current state and told me to run with it three years ago, I'd be overwhelmed.

I wasn't born an entrepreneur, but I learned to become one along the way. I would never be the perfect businessman, but I will always be better, more efficient, and smarter at my job than I was yesterday. By the time you read this, I've already grown. Not because I have some special ability, but because I keep trying and learned yet another way of how "not to do" something. I learned to succeed by failing fast.

Persistence Is a Talent Too

Natural abilities can mean a whole lot, but persistence is a skill, too. Being smart is nice, but hard work is the ingredient that allows you to keep improving. Look at all your classmates from your school years who became successful at what they are doing. I bet there were quite a few surprises.

Hard work pays off, and the best part is that it's completely in our control. Sara hasn't quite figured out how to talk, walk, or tell Daddy that she loves him yet, but she will. Her achievements will not be solely because she is talented, but because she will keep working at it until she succeeds.