In the last issue of Leadership Wired, I talked about the three types of
jobholders. This issue and the next are devoted to those who know what
they'd like to do, but don't do it.
Every once in a while I run into people who say, "Well, I just have a
dream." Having a dream and fulfilling a dream are two different things. Let
me tell you something else--if your dream does not match your abilities,
it'll be a nightmare. I see people all the time who have unrealistic dreams.
Please understand that I'm not trying to dash your hopes or suggest that you
listen to naysayers who try to dissuade you from doing what seems impossible
when you know deep down in your heart that you can do it. I'm merely giving
you a reality check because if you don't have the aptitude or the skill
level to do it, you're going to have some real frustrations and you're going
to have to change your mindset.
For example, I love music and I'd like to be a great singer; but there's a
problem--some would say that it's minor, but I think it's major--I can't
sing. Isn't it awful when you can hear music one way in your head, but when
you open your mouth it doesn't come out right? Fortunately for other people,
I know I can't sing, so I don't torture them with my caterwauling. I've been
places where there was a person singing who didn't know they couldn't sing.
I don't know about you, but I wanted to look at the people around me and
say, "You know, somebody ought to go up there and tell them."
Here's the problem: if I can't sing, but my dream is to be a great opera
singer, I will either be very frustrated or I will torture audiences
everywhere who don't have the heart to tell me to give it up. Can I tell you
something? It isn't going to happen. Not because I lack desire or lack the
dream. It isn't going to happen because I'm not any good in that area--I
simply lack the ability.
Too many times, people work on their weaknesses. Don't work on your
weaknesses. On a scale from one to a ten, if you're a two at something,
don't spend a lot of time trying to improve in that area. If you work on it
hard, you'll probably only become about a four. In other words, if I take
music lessons, voice lessons, and bring all kinds of people around me to
help me sing, after two or three years, I will have spent a lot of money and
worked very hard, but I'm still not going to be able to sing.
If you're a two and you go up to a four, you're a little bit below average.
I know many people trying to do average things wanting people to stand in
line and buy it. Average will never get you anywhere. So quit working on
your weaknesses because if you work on your weaknesses, at best you're going
to be average.
You have to find your strengths; you have to find out what you're good at.
If you're a six at something, you can get up to a seven or an eight. People
pay for eights. So when you ask yourself whether or not you can do what
you'd like to do, you need to be honest with yourself before you invest a
lot of time and energy into it.
By the way, when I say don't work on your weaknesses, I'm talking about your
skills and abilities. The personal illustration I gave was my singing. There
are three weaknesses you need to work on at all times, but they have nothing
to do with your skills.
The three weaknesses you have to work on are:
1. Attitude issues.
If you have a bad attitude, fix it because your attitude will disqualify
you. I know several people who have great potential, but their attitude is
the disqualifier of their life.
2. Discipline issues.
Work on your discipline issues if you're weak. If you can't get somewhere on
time, if you lack initiative, if you're lazy, you won't make it.
3. Relationship issues.
You'd better work on your relationship issues because if people don't like
you, you're not going to be successful with them. Remember, people won't go
along with you if they can't get along with you.
Let me give you five quick questions to ask for yourself to determine your
abilities:
1) Do I have experience in my desired area?
2) Do I have any success in my desired area?
3) Do I have any training in my desired area?
4) Do I know what is essential in my desired area?
5) Do I know someone who's successful in my desired area?
I love this quote: "Find something you like to do so much that you'd gladly
do it for nothing. Then learn to do it so well the people are happy to pay
you for it." That's the way to live. Don't worry about what you're going to
get paid and what kind of benefits there are; do something you love to do
and do it so well that after a while you'll be paid to do it. If it's
something you are capable of doing, and if you seek answers to the five
questions I have given, you'll be on your way to doing just that.
John C. Maxwell
jobholders. This issue and the next are devoted to those who know what
they'd like to do, but don't do it.
Every once in a while I run into people who say, "Well, I just have a
dream." Having a dream and fulfilling a dream are two different things. Let
me tell you something else--if your dream does not match your abilities,
it'll be a nightmare. I see people all the time who have unrealistic dreams.
Please understand that I'm not trying to dash your hopes or suggest that you
listen to naysayers who try to dissuade you from doing what seems impossible
when you know deep down in your heart that you can do it. I'm merely giving
you a reality check because if you don't have the aptitude or the skill
level to do it, you're going to have some real frustrations and you're going
to have to change your mindset.
For example, I love music and I'd like to be a great singer; but there's a
problem--some would say that it's minor, but I think it's major--I can't
sing. Isn't it awful when you can hear music one way in your head, but when
you open your mouth it doesn't come out right? Fortunately for other people,
I know I can't sing, so I don't torture them with my caterwauling. I've been
places where there was a person singing who didn't know they couldn't sing.
I don't know about you, but I wanted to look at the people around me and
say, "You know, somebody ought to go up there and tell them."
Here's the problem: if I can't sing, but my dream is to be a great opera
singer, I will either be very frustrated or I will torture audiences
everywhere who don't have the heart to tell me to give it up. Can I tell you
something? It isn't going to happen. Not because I lack desire or lack the
dream. It isn't going to happen because I'm not any good in that area--I
simply lack the ability.
Too many times, people work on their weaknesses. Don't work on your
weaknesses. On a scale from one to a ten, if you're a two at something,
don't spend a lot of time trying to improve in that area. If you work on it
hard, you'll probably only become about a four. In other words, if I take
music lessons, voice lessons, and bring all kinds of people around me to
help me sing, after two or three years, I will have spent a lot of money and
worked very hard, but I'm still not going to be able to sing.
If you're a two and you go up to a four, you're a little bit below average.
I know many people trying to do average things wanting people to stand in
line and buy it. Average will never get you anywhere. So quit working on
your weaknesses because if you work on your weaknesses, at best you're going
to be average.
You have to find your strengths; you have to find out what you're good at.
If you're a six at something, you can get up to a seven or an eight. People
pay for eights. So when you ask yourself whether or not you can do what
you'd like to do, you need to be honest with yourself before you invest a
lot of time and energy into it.
By the way, when I say don't work on your weaknesses, I'm talking about your
skills and abilities. The personal illustration I gave was my singing. There
are three weaknesses you need to work on at all times, but they have nothing
to do with your skills.
The three weaknesses you have to work on are:
1. Attitude issues.
If you have a bad attitude, fix it because your attitude will disqualify
you. I know several people who have great potential, but their attitude is
the disqualifier of their life.
2. Discipline issues.
Work on your discipline issues if you're weak. If you can't get somewhere on
time, if you lack initiative, if you're lazy, you won't make it.
3. Relationship issues.
You'd better work on your relationship issues because if people don't like
you, you're not going to be successful with them. Remember, people won't go
along with you if they can't get along with you.
Let me give you five quick questions to ask for yourself to determine your
abilities:
1) Do I have experience in my desired area?
2) Do I have any success in my desired area?
3) Do I have any training in my desired area?
4) Do I know what is essential in my desired area?
5) Do I know someone who's successful in my desired area?
I love this quote: "Find something you like to do so much that you'd gladly
do it for nothing. Then learn to do it so well the people are happy to pay
you for it." That's the way to live. Don't worry about what you're going to
get paid and what kind of benefits there are; do something you love to do
and do it so well that after a while you'll be paid to do it. If it's
something you are capable of doing, and if you seek answers to the five
questions I have given, you'll be on your way to doing just that.
John C. Maxwell
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