We live in a culture that loves natural talent. Parents rave about how gifted their children are. Critics discuss the brilliance of actors, musicians, film makers. Admittedly, natural talent offers a strong advantage, but the truth is you can’t control which gifts you inherit. You can only control how hard you’re willing to work.
My favorite sports movie of all time is Rudy, which was based on the true story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who celebrates his birthday today. Rudy lacked the size and the natural talent to ever be considered to be a college football. But through relentless hard work, he made it onto the Notre Dame practice team and then earned a chance to play in the last home game of his senior year. And there, the kid who was too small and too unathletic to ever have a chance on a college football team, sacked the Georgia Tech quarter back and became the first player in Notre Dame history to be carried off the field by his teammates.
Don’t be discouraged if you’re not the most gifted person in a particular area. Focus on the piece you can control, your effort—that willingness to try harder, to keep going, pick yourself up and try again.
Because effort matters. Always.