“There is no such thing as a natural-born pilot. Whatever my aptitude or talents, becoming a proficient pilot was hard work, really a lifetime’s learning experience. The best pilots fly more than the others; that’s why they’re the best.”
– Chuck Yeager (b. 1923), legendary pilot and subject of the 1983 movie, “The Right Stuff”
Ever been to a Broadway show? If not, put that up there on your bucket list! Ever been to a really great concert with one of “those” performers — the kind that just set you back in your seat for a couple hours?
Every time I walk away from one of those events, I am amazed by the performance. What I should be amazed by is the preparation. The number of rehearsals and repetitions required to make it “perfect” is mind-boggling. Malcolm Gladwell refers to it in his great book, Outliers, with research that points out that 10,000 hours of preparation goes into complete mastery in most cases. (I just grossly over-simplified that concept, by the way…get the book, you’ll be glad you did!)
The old saying, “practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect-practice makes perfect” comes to mind. And, it begs the question, how much time do we spend preparing for our roles in our workaday lives? There’s no such thing as a born CFO, CEO, salesperson, accountant, programmer or project manager either. Those that do it more than others, those that rehearse and prepare for it more than others, those who spend time with quality coaches, role models, mentors and teachers are the best — because they’ve prepared for that moment when the lights come up and the conductor cues the lights, or that moment when the wheels leave the runway and we find ourselves flying.
It’s hard work. And, it need never end. A lifetime’s learning experience is worthwhile, and, when we commit to being life-learners, it becomes an incredibly exciting commitment, indeed.
The best do it more. That’s how they make a difference.
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