(We’re excited to welcome Ryan Patrick as a contributing editor to The Daily Blur in 2013. He’s not only handsome but a mighty fine writer. You’re going to like him. A lot. You can check out his growing archive of posts here.)
Tomorrow, I’m heading to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville to give a motivational speech to 2,000 of Tennessee’s best and brightest high school and college students.
I have a small problem.
Most motivational speakers motivate me to vomit.
See, at the heart of every motivational speech, the main idea is usually this:
“You can do anything you set your mind to!”
Pardon my language, but that’s a bunch of hooey.
The truth is, “setting your mind to it” is not a guarantee of success. In fact, there are many who will never achieve their dreams.
It’s simply not possible for everyone on earth to do what they dream to do.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t try. Go for the goal. Shoot for the end zone. But be realistic and draw up a play in case it’s fourth and long and you have to punt that dream to the other team.
Motivated yet?
So…when you realized that what you want to do isn’t what you’re going to do, what DO you do?
Do what you do well.
And keep on doing it.
What is your gift? What is your talent? Hone it. Use it. Rock it like a hurricane.
Don’t know what your gift is? Ask the people you trust the most. The ones who won’t blow sunshine up your skirt.
Once you’ve identified your true gift, the sky’s the limit.
Who are you? An excellent athlete, a voracious reader, a great singer, a math whiz, an animal lover, a captivating speaker, an organizing wizard, a talented writer, a hunter, a painter, a cook, an artist, a mechanical genius? You can find ways to take your talent, your gift, and apply it to your current position.
Even if you work McDonald’s.
Seriously. You have the power within you to wow the next person in line.
Utilize your gift. Show off your talent. Put it to good use. You never know who will be placing the next order. It might be a Fortune 500 CEO or it might be a greeter from the local Wal-Mart. It really shouldn’t matter, though.
You’re constantly making a first impression. Whether it’s a good first impression or a bad first impression is entirely up to you.
By the way, do you know who else worked at McDonald’s?
* Andrew Card, former White House Chief of Staff
* Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com
* Carla Harris, managing director of Morgan Stanley
* Leroy Chiao, astronaut
* Jay Leno, host of The Tonight Show.
They used their gifts and talents to change the world.
So can you.
Good reminder Tim – THX. I discovered in college that I was not the smartest or the most gifted but I have always excelled at whatever it was that I worked at.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!