RE: Your Brain Has an Appetite - Starve It & Feed It
This is a great post and great advice, thanks!
I'm listening to Grit as an audio book right now. The author explained how to be successful in the best way I've seen yet, and it is related to your post:
talent x effort = skill
skill x effort = achievement
This is why being passionate about what you do is so important, for it is hard to put a lot of effort in things that you are not passionate about.
I have natural talents related to my two primary passions (Private Investigation and Residential Security). That's the main reason I focus on them. It makes putting effort into them much easier.
We feed our brains therefore by following the same equations. Effort is defined as what we are reading, practicing, and learning. It is the things we spend our days doing instead of playing video games or zoning out in front of an entertainment device (TV or otherwise).
Oh, and being smart about what skills you acquire helps. A person may be passionate about something the market doesn't find very valuable, and they won't make a lot of money doing it. Nothing is stopping them from picking that path, but they should not complain when the achievements do not also equal financial success.
Certainly right! Choosing the 'path less traveled' does not always equate to a lucrative path. It might not be traveled because it is an unsustainable path. We must find things that interest us and build upon that. We must also practice discipline, which often requires doing things we do not really want to do - but have to. Being passionate about what you do is vital in order to succeed.
talent x effort = skill
skill x effort = achievement
Well said!
If we remain passionate about learning new skills and preparing our mind for our intended path, we can do many different things and find success in all of our endeavors. However, like you mentioned, must keep in mind the destination and the value of the achievements we're after. Some are going to pay far greater returns than others.
I also believe that failing and learning harsh lessons can break a person in a way that either guarantees self-destruction OR success. A person that knows what it is to fail or have their dreams crushed is better equipped for success, in my opinion. Many great contributors to our world truly failed their way to success.
Yeah, I was forced to quit airborne school because of illness. I hate quitting. I still wish I could go back and fix that situation after all these years too. It still bothers me. The book "Grit" is awesome. If you have the time to get and read it, I highly recommend it. One of my greatest strengths is grit. I just refuse to give up when I've decided to do something. Part of that is being forced to quit in the past too.