be good at what you do

The Power of Perseverance: How These Great People Overcame Adversity to Achieve Success

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We all face challenges in life, but what sets great people apart is their ability to push through adversity and come out stronger. In this post, we’ll explore the inspiring stories of Alexander the Great, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, and sports legends like Michael Jordan and Drew Brees, who overcame obstacles and achieved greatness.

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great was a Greek king and military commander who conquered much of the known world in the 4th century BC. Despite the challenges he faced, Alexander remained a fearless and determined leader who was able to inspire his troops and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some of the challenges he faced include:

  • His father was assassinated when he was 20 years old.
  • His army had to endure extreme temperatures, dangerous wildlife, and difficult terrain as they made their way across vast distances.
  • His conquests took him through harsh and unforgiving environments, including deserts, mountains, and swamps.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States and is widely regarded as one of the greatest American presidents in history. He led the United States through some of its greatest challenges, including the Great Depression and World War II. Throughout his presidency he launched Social Security which was a safety net for older folks, a work program that put millions of people back to work and the FDIC which helped protect people from bank failures. Despite his achievements, Roosevelt faced significant challenges throughout his life, including:

  • Contracting polio at the age of 39, which left him paralyzed from the waist down.
  • Facing skepticism from many Americans who believed he couldn’t effectively lead the country from a wheelchair.

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison as a political prisoner fighting against apartheid in South Africa. He endured brutal imprisonment and isolation, confined to a tiny cell and forced to do hard labor in the blazing sun. Raised in a regime that removed black people from their homes in mixed-race neighborhoods and resettled them in townships on the outskirts of cities, he fought tirelessly to end apartheid and bring about reconciliation and unity in South Africa. 

Sports Legends

There are tireless examples of people in sports who overcame adversity. Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school team and went on to lead the Bulls to six rings and lead the conversation as the greatest of all time. Drew Brees tore his shoulder in San Diego and it was thought he’d never play football again. He went on to win a Super Bowl and was one of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation. Muhammad Ali lost 3.5 years of boxing because he refused to fight in Vietnam. Mario Lemieux came back and led his team to the Stanley Cup after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

No matter what obstacles you’re facing, remember that you have the power to overcome them. Take inspiration from these great people and never give up on your dreams.

Do these 3 things and move ahead of 80% of your professional competitors

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Success is the compounding of many small efforts that accumulate into a large return. It’s often been said of athletes that have been great for a long time such as Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods that they showed up every day and worked. They did the small things, over and over. They were some of the greatest performers in their crafts and they still showed up daily to do the small things. Greatness in the anvils of history belongs to those who repeatedly showed up and performed.

While we may not all be striving for a US Open or the Larry O’Brien trophy, we should all still be striving to get ahead. It’s been my approximation that in life, in order to get ahead of the back and be in the top 20% of performers at the work place, one must do three things. One must be on time, be a pleasure to be around and be good at their job. Notice, I didn’t say great at their job, simply be good. Let’s discuss the why of each of these attributes.

  1. Be On Time – Time is the only resource people will never get back. Money will come and go. Relationships will come and go. Life will have ups and downs and good times and bad. However, time escapes us all. If you disrespect someones time, you are saying that you have no respect for the other persons most precious and valuable resource. This goes for leaders and subordinates, the CEO’s and the Janitors. Titles are meaningless to time, everyone’s time is limited. Respect the time of others and you will immediately step up in the respect category of others.
  2. Be A Pleasure To Be Around – It’s often said that it takes fewer muscles to smile than frown, so don’t stress your face and turn that frown upside down! While that statistic may be a false one, it is a fact that people would rather be surrounded with good vibes than bad. If you bring positive energy with you, people will want to have you around. It can take work, but it’s work that will pay in dividends. Start your meetings with friendly hello, a light conversation that is typically good natured and a positive vibe to set a tone. Be a pleasure to be around and you’ll be more likely to keep moving ahead.
  3. Be good at your job – Yes, good is good enough, but it must be consistent. Do what needs to be done. Do it on time and deliver with a good attitude. If you do the work and provide a good service, consistently, you will be ahead of most. Consistency is hard. Every player in the NBA is good. You have to be to make it to the league. However, most guys in the league have a story of a competitor or teammate in their past, who they were convinced was the most talented player they’ve ever met, who simply didn’t make it because they weren’t consistently showing up and doing their job. If you are consistent and deliver a good product, you will get ahead.

If you combine the three characteristics above, you will be in the top of your class. It took me a long time to bring these things together in my own life. I’ve never had trouble being on time, it’s something I’ve always believed in. Yet, there have been periods in my life and career where I didn’t have a great attitude consistently or I didn’t consistently deliver a good product. It was during these times that I fell behind. However, when I’ve personally combined these characteristics, I’ve grown in my career faster than my counterparts.

Go forth, be timely, be pleasant and be good. I promise the return will be exponential!