Dave Mashburn once reminded me how high-performers achieve remarkable success.
In a meeting this morning, a couple of individuals whom I respect a great deal were referring to a mutual friend of ours as “a genius,” citing examples of the notable expertise that he has developed.
While I nodded my head in agreement, I was also considering the mistake that was being made in that assessment.
Labeling him a genius diminishes the work he did to reach his accomplishments and the wisdom for which he is now respected.
I know for a fact, and so did they, that he had spent countless hours (easily over 15,000) over the last 15 years perfecting one single area of expertise.
He was not just a smart person with innate talents–he disciplined himself to become great.
Not in giant leaps, but in small steps, every day.
In our times of instant gratification and low frustration tolerance, it’s common to become discouraged when you experience fatigue and frustration–especially in the recruiting arena.
At this juncture, the emerging recruiting geniuses reframe their pain as a necessary part of the process and remind themselves that few things worth having come easily.
