Throughout my life, people have asked me what my secret is, as if I can give them information which would make them instantly successful, wealthy, and at the top of their game. The reality is if you want to win in anything, you have to practice, you have to be able to take the hard knocks, and you have to have perseverance and keep getting back up. If you are not willing to work hard and do what it takes you don't deserve to win, that's not to say you won't get lucky, or that you can't win the lottery, it's just that the chances of that happening are slim because the odds are not with you.
Besides, what's that old quote; "it's surprising how lucky you get when you're working hard," and what is that other famous quote about luck? "Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity." If you don't put in the time and effort, if you not are willing to work hard, if you don't show up to practice, I just don't see how you are going to succeed in life. There is no easy way, and for those that think there is an easy way, they are liable to get taken by the first con-artist that comes along and promises them something for nothing. The world doesn't work that way, it never really has.
Yes, people do get very lucky, and sometimes people get things they don't deserve, but I would submit to you that most of the people that have achieved, have done so the hard way. And personally, that's the only way I know to succeed. When I was a young man and 12 years old I started washing airplanes at the local airport, I charged a very low price, and I worked very hard. Therefore I had all the business I could take. One of the gentlemen who owned an airplane told me this;
"There are two ways to become successful; you either work too hard, or you work too cheap!"
Indeed, even at that early age I thanked him for his wisdom and I thought about that for a while. A few weeks later I saw him back at the airport getting ready to fly his airplane. I explained to him that I thought about what he said, and I had concluded that; "Sir, I think I'm going to do both, because I don't want to take any risks," he just smiled and said "okay then, see you at the top, now step back son, clear prop" and he started his Beechcraft Bonanza, and he taxied his brand-new airplane to the runway and took off. I'll never forget that, and I hope you will never forget what I've said in this article.
Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion .
