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Contrary to popular belief, no one is cut from a different cloth; success is hardly ever an intrinsic quality defined at birth. Instead, success can be attributed to the habits, developed traits, and opportunities which allow a person to weave that cloth into an outlier - or something that stands out from the crowd. For this reason, discipline, dedication, and unparalleled effort will always trump "natural talent"; they are the essential ingredients which fuel any form of true success. |
In western civilization, success is usually misconstrued as an intrinsic quality originating at birth. Most people believe that a person is either born a genius - an outlier who stands out from the crowd - or an ordinary citizen. However, the majority of research surrounding this topic and almost every success story to-date certainly beg to differ. For example, consider the book Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell (which I would highly recommend picking up). In this excellent book, Gladwell runs through the lives of America's most successful individuals, identifying the common ingredients of success and completely turning this popular notion upside down. For this reason, to address this discrepancy and rectify these misconceptions surrounding success, these series of articles/videos intend to accomplish two things. First of all, the main goal is to dissect this common notion and reduce it down to its basic constituents - to essentially divulge what qualities truly lead to success. In doing so, it will become more evident that no one is born from a different cloth - that success is not a quality defined at birth. Instead, success can be attributed to the habits, developed traits, and opportunities which allow a person to weave that cloth into an outlier - or something that stands out from the crowd. That's why The Kaizen Effect continually preaches the importance of first establishing a proper inner framework; the principles essential for such a robust structure - such as a clear purpose and intent, grounding in goals, buying into your mission, kindling a fiery passion, making time, etc - are the tools which personally craft this ingenuity and success. Hopefully knowledge of this truth further motivates you to take massive action and move closer to your dreams. After all, in the long run, you (and only you) are in direct control of your future - not your circumstances or supposed "destiny" at birth; so, you might as well confide in (and take advantage of) that truth as you progress through your journey.
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In addition to correcting this common misconception, these videos/lectures are also intended to expedite the journey towards success. By analyzing a multitude of success stories, the series will eventually divulge the qualities and opportunities which universally cultivate success. If implemented properly into your journey, such knowledge will then allow you to attain success at an accelerated rate. You will not have to discover these traits on your own through a prolonged trial and error process; instead, they will be immediately at your disposal as you tackle your journey's main challenges. For example, one ubiquitous theme found in almost every success story is the idea of unfair advantages and how they provide developmental opportunities. If these unfair advantages are geared towards one's goals/ambitions and fueled, then they may provide extra chances to develop the skills/talent essential for distinction. However, it's not enough to just identify an unfair advantage and implement it into your approach; one must still pour time, effort, and dedication into the opportunity before it flourishes. If done properly though, an unfair advantage can very quickly develop an individual into an outlier - or a revered prodigy.
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One ubiquitous theme found in almost every success story is the idea of unfair advantages and how they provide developmental opportunities. If these unfair advantages are geared towards one's goals/ambitions and fueled, then they may provide extra chances to develop the skills/talent essential for distinction. However, it's not enough to just identify an unfair advantage and implement it into your approach; one must still pour time, effort, and dedication into the opportunity before it flourishes. |
Most successful individuals learn how to most effectively take advantage of both their environment and what they are personally offered; they essentially figure out how to catch the wind with their sails. In other words, they may play the hand they are dealt but also ensure that the hand is as strong as possible, given their current circumstances. |
This entire idea is on par with a sailboat coasting towards a final destination. If the wind is blowing in the same direction, then the sailboat can very easily catch that wind and produce an additional thrust force - allowing it to expediently reach its final destination. However, if the wind blows in an opposing direction, it will impede progress and lead to a much lengthier and more unpleasant journey. Most successful individuals learn how to most effectively take advantage of both their environment and what they are personally offered; they essentially figure out how to catch the wind with their sails. In other words, they may play the hand they are dealt but also ensure that the hand is as strong as possible, given their current circumstances. So, by identifying these common advantages ubiquitous in success, this series will allow you to properly adjust your sails for your particular purpose and employ the wind as a partner - not a force which unnecessarily impedes progress. In the end, this will open additional opportunities to develop the skills/talents essential for success.
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Of the many unfair advantages which fuel success, an individual's time of birth can quite drastically influence his or her performance relative to surrounding peers. This effect can be even more pronounced at younger ages - as a higher correlation between age and ability seems to exist. To thoroughly explore this idea, let's take a close look at hockey leagues and a player's journey towards a professional career. Around the age of five, most youngsters join their first hockey league and engage in competitive play. However, there is one major caveat. Most of these leagues enforce a cut-off date which limits participation, and such a policy evokes an unfair advantage which shapes most players' futures. To see this, suppose that the age cut-off date is January 1st; so, for a given age-class, anyone born before that date has to join a higher, more competitive age-class to participate. Furthermore, let's analyze the performance of two players - a late bloomer born around December and an early bird around January 2nd. In this scenario, how do you think the age difference affects individual performance? Since the early bird is 12 months older than his competition, he has the unfair advantage of extra physical and mental maturity, and this can very easily produce a noticeable edge - especially at a young age.
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Of the many unfair advantages which fuel success, an individual's time of birth can quite drastically influence his or her performance relative to surrounding peers. This effect can be even more pronounced at younger ages - as a higher correlation between age and ability seems to exist. |
Although opportunities serve as the seeds of success, it is sometimes not enough to simply implant them within your experience; they also have to be nourished through time, effort, and dedication before blossoming into something magnificent. Much like a hot-air balloon, opportunities offer the potential to soar towards unimaginable heights, but they are only useful if fueled with discipline - just as a hot-air balloon remains stagnant without sufficient hot air. |
For example, that individual may have 20 extra pounds and be one foot taller than the competition. Thus, he may easily plough through his opponents and dominate the rink; his maturity is essentially manifested as a purported talent. As a result, coaches may start to pay attention to this young all-star and provide specialized training; he may move onto more competitive leagues offering greater challenges and growth opportunities; exclusive teams may recruit the player and provide specialized, renowned coaching; he may earn privileged access to rinks and specialized equipment. In essence, massive opportunities to easily cultivate talent will gravitate towards the player. So, in the long run, this unfair advantage which started off as a seed of opportunity will eventually flourish into unparalleled skill; this particular player will have the highest likelihood of succeeding and entering a professional hockey league. In fact, it is no wonder that 70 - 90 % of all professional hockey players were born around their respective league's cut-off date; they are essentially the products of such opportunities. However, it was not enough to simply have those chances; they also had to be nourished through time, effort, and dedication before blossoming into something magnificent. This is why it's absolutely imperative to identify unfair advantages, integrate them into your journey, and fuel them with sufficient time and discipline; opportunity grounded in ample effort is sometimes the mother of the greatest success.
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Similarly, this same exact phenomenon is also prevalent within education. Much like sports leagues, there is a specific cut-off date which prevents certain students from entering school. While intended to properly balance the classroom, enforcement of this policy unintentionally introduces many unfair advantages analogous to those found in hockey. For instance, just like the example provided above, let's analyze the performance of two students - one born towards the beginning of the cut-off period and another around the end. Compared to the late-bloomer, the early bird student will possess a higher degree of mental maturity and overall development, and this advantage can be quite pronounced at a young age - especially when children are first entering school. As a result, an unfair advantage arises; the early bird student will be predisposed to process information more efficiently and take his or her studies more seriously. Such an advantage essentially elevates these students' abilities well above their peers, and academic success is much easier to obtain. Of course, this advantage must still be supplemented with sufficient time and effort - much like the hockey example. However, it certainly provides an initial opportunity for advancement - one that may flourish into outlying abilities if fueled properly. For example, an early student's enhanced mental capabilities may compel teachers to cater towards that particular student; additional resources - such as extra programs for gifted students - may further broaden their horizons; the opportunity to attend restricted classes - such as college prep, honors, and AP courses - will further enhance their abilities; access to the most renowned schools - such as the ivy leagues - will be restricted to the top performers. In essence, much like the hockey players with initial advantages, these students will gain access to resources and special privileges which eventually make their suspected intellect a reality. A simple advantage can drastically separate two students' abilities and future opportunities if fueled properly.
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Life's unfair advantages are the seeds of opportunity which grow into the doors to success; however, these doors are not always accessible upon discovery. In order to walk through them, the key is to dedicate your life to discipline and intent - to forge the keys which unlock the appropriate opportunities. So, as you forge your life's purpose, recognize the doors of opportunity surrounding you, but have the courage to also unlock them through focused dedication. That's the only way to access your dreams hidden behind each opportunity's doors. |
Success is not always a quality intrinsic at birth. Instead, it originates from an assortment of opportunities fueled by sufficient time, effort, and dedication. This is why no one is cut from a different cloth; however, the cloth we are born with, or our initial palette of skills/abilities, may be woven into significance and a true outlier. |
As these two examples clearly demonstrate, success is not always a quality intrinsic at birth. Instead, it originates from an assortment of opportunities fueled by sufficient time, effort, and dedication. This is why no one is cut from a different cloth; however, the cloth we are born with, or our initial palette of skills/abilities, may be woven into significance and a true outlier. For this reason, once your life's purpose has been forged, it is useful to also identify unfair advantages which expedite your journey towards fulfillment. If fueled with discipline, these assets have the potential to flourish into success at an accelerated rate; they are essentially the wind in your sails which drive your life to any desired destination. So, do not underestimate the significance of unfair advantages; rather, implement them into your experience where appropriate and hammer them home. If done properly, they can make the difference between walking a path conducive to your goals or struggling on an untrodden path of weeds; they are the quickest option towards your wildest dreams' manifestation.
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If you want more content tied to this topic, make sure you check out Part 2 of this series, which can be found HERE.