On Motivation
August 22, 2008
This quote from Michael Phelps in the Festival of Frugality over at Four Pence Worth really resonated with me:
“Back in the winter, at 5.30am, when I didn’t want to get up and train on some cold and dark morning I’d still make myself snap on the light and look inside my swimming cap. ‘Athens’ is stitched on the inside. I’d get up then. I’d grab my bag and head for the pool. I’ve been doing that 365 days – year after year. I can’t remember the last day I didn’t train. Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day. I haven’t missed one of ‘em for years. And every single day I got that word, Athens, running right round my head.”
It’s not that I have training to do, and I’m certainly not headed for anything so incredible as competing in the Olympics, but I definitely suffer from I-hate-mornings-itis. And you know what? A visual reminder to combat my hatred of getting up could be just the ticket to get my cranky, sleep-deprived self out of bed. And, eventually, to better utilize those early hours in pursuit of career development. It’s such a small, simple thing to do, for such great dividends. And more, though I am intrinsically motivated and driven 98% of the time, even I can get disheartened and lose focus over time.
I need to program a message to myself on my phone to accompany my morning alarms.
Great post! I was just making a mental note to myself yesterday that its the perseverance that gets the really successful people to where they are. They keep at it and just keep at it until they get it right, then they do it some more to get it perfect and keep improving.
I think the biggest difference between the people like Phelps and Buffet isn’t the talent (though that’s definitely a big one) its the perseverance to be the best.
matt: Thanks! It’s definitely perseverance, it’s the difference between someone who is really good at their job, and someone who is an expert or professional.
As I’ve been told over and over, talent only gets you in the door. It’s the hard work and perseverance that gets you past the door.