Stop Dabbling! How to Embrace The Long Road to Success

In my early 20s, I was all about KFC. 

It was the ultimate greasy reward on a Friday night, after an intense week of University coursework.  And I loved every finger-lickin’ moment of it.

I was an English major.  But don’t box me in.  I took Astronomy 101.  

And I only rarely had to pull out my prank glasses with open eyes painted on the lenses.

University is a slog.

And I am 100% convinced that a diploma simply represents one’s ability to “stick it out,” rather than knowledge acquired.

Ask me what I remember about the solar system.  

The professor chewed gum.

That’s what I remember.   

It is an experiment in endurance.  And he who is willing to loose the most sleep, wins.

Endurance is rare.  Yet enthusiasm is common.

Which means……there are MANY people who start things…..yet only a few who finish them.  And in life, long term consistency beats short-term eagerness.  Every time.

In fact, Steve Jobs once said, “about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from non-successful ones, is pure perseverance.”

What really matters, is staying with something, even after the initial honeymoon flush is over.

And trust me guys, the irony is not lost on me.  This wisdom is coming at you from a divorcee.  

But at the end of the day, I’m not willing to constitute the end of a 20-year relationship as a lack of endurance.  And also…….I’m not perfect.  Far from it, actually.

It could be argued that endurance is genetic.  However, we can’t ever discount the power of our own minds.  

My son Liam has a penchant for endurance.  In fact, just the other day he challenged his sister to a 3-lapper around the entire park.  She fell half way into lap 1 and burst into sensational tears.  She has a penchant for melodrama.

I think some of us are simply WILLING to endure with more intensity than others.  And WILL is absolutely something that can be strengthened over time.

Behind the glitz and glamour of success…..is boredom, loneliness, and feelings of discouragement.

And guys, the extent of our success is directly related to the extent of our willingness to endure pain. 

​Success has a price tag.  And the fee is not paid in “I’ll give it a try” coinage. 

You want to “get there?”  Go all in.  Commit to mastery.  And stop being a dabbler who dabbles the shit out of every dabble-able thing.

I think the reason some of us fail to endure, is that we are simply unwilling to give something EVERYTHING we have.  Because if we do…..and STILL fail?  It’s a tough pill to swallow.

If we only dabble, and our project goes up in flames…..we have an out.  “It was just a little something I wanted to try.”
Success comes with tenacity.  Grit.  And a WILLINGNESS to keep going.

Be choosey about what you pour your energy into.  And then take no prisoners.

Even if Colonel Sanders is the one barking orders at you from behind enemy lines.

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