The real question here is, are you ready to handle the responsibility and pressure that comes with whatever you want?
This was the premise of my discussion with a friend of mine when we spoke about the importance of preparation and having a thick skin when it comes to achieving and having the things you want.
He said, “You cannot say you want to achieve great things, yet you are not prepared for them, because the next thing you know, you will be out of your depth in a place you feel you deserve to be, but are not equipped enough to handle, for lack of preparation (and experience) thereof.”
This resonated with me as I reflected on so many of the goals and plans I have for my life, like many others, and I instantly thought, “To whom much is given, much is required”.
It is not enough to have faith, believe in yourself, and to envision endless possibilities for your life, if the effort does not match the goal.
Like anything in life, you ought to practise in order to be great at anything.
Greatness is nothing less than a by-product of doing the little things well in order to achieve the bigger picture.
My friend gave the example of having the goal to be a CEO of a JSE-listed company.
“Imagine someone not wanting to do the most menial tasks in an organisation, because he or she feels they are not worth the pursuit, but expecting him or herself to be elevated to CEO status,” he said.
“That person will crumble under the pressure from shareholders and various stakeholders, because he or she has missed the lessons at grass-root levels.”
It is, therefore, imperative to understand that the habits you develop, the attitude you adopt towards and the lessons you learn from doing the little tasks is what helps us get the big things right.
We all have to start somewhere, and the trick is to do what is considered as little, greatly.
Patience and ambition are complementary and with any worthwhile pursuit, the toil must be endured.
Such endurance is built from patience, which I find that many young people lack.
In a society where everything is instant, we subconsciously believe that success works the same way.
The truth is there is no formula for success and no shortcuts to your goals, just good old hard work and persistence until you get it right.
That is what forms character, and the resolve to withstand, fully embrace, and truly appreciate that which we once wished for and now receive.
Pace yourself, work hard, do small things well, and everything else will fall into place.
