I did not come upwith this aphorism, it came from the late Zig Ziglar, author, salesperson and motivational speaker. Still, the saying certainly holds great relevance in my life. How many people have you run across in your own life who seem to have the right skill set to succeed, but fail miserably upon execution? In my own career I have hired those types more times than I’d like to admit. This is skill versus will and will always wins. Just because someone can do a good job doesn’t mean that they will. For me it boils down to two main questions:
1. Can they? (Skill)
2. Will they? (Will)
Having some skill, aptitude or a natural talent can certainly help you succeed but even without this foundation, many people have achieved their goals through the force of their will. Think real life Rudy Ruettiger, who though being only 5’6” and 185 pounds with no stand out football talent and battling a learning disability, was admitted to the University of Notre Dame on his fourth try and eventually made the football team. Sometimes a winner is a dreamer who just won’t quit. Rudy didn’t start with skill or talent but through will, or a will-ingness to do whatever it takes, he learned what he needed to and impressed others enough to engage their goodwill to help him.
Look at all the underdog stories that life and the movies are just chock full of:
- Rocky
- The Pursuit of Happyness
- Gladiator
- Slumdog Millionaire
- Men of Honor
- 300
- David and Goliath
- Forest Gump
- Jerry Maguire
- October Sky
The story is so often the same. The underdog, who is under trained, under qualified, and under equipped defies every obstacle to claim victory over a superior opponent.
You can look at “Will” as a multiplier of “Skill” to determine most outcomes:
SKILL X WILL = OUTCOME
Is your own attitude helping or hindering your success? Have you figured out how to engage your will to push you forward in your own life? Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” We are all faced with our own challenges. We don’t get to choose where we start but with will, attitude, and determination we can decide where we finish.
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