Will Beats Skill

"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done." - Vince Lombardi

Every spring the National Hockey League holds its postseason tournament, the Stanley Cup playoffs. Four rounds are played from April to June in the quest to determine a champion. Sixteen teams qualify, and the first team to win sixteen games will have their names engraved on Lord Stanley's Cup, the ultimate prize in hockey. Without a doubt these players are among the most highly skilled athletes in their sport. Each team has the skill, speed, and stamina required to skate off with the Cup, yet only one team can win the title. What separates the last team standing from the fifteen that fall short? It would appear the difference at this level is more mental than physical. These seven factors seem to draw a line:

WILL: a strong desire or determination to do something 
DETERMINATION: a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult 
PERSEVERANCE: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition 
PERSISTENCE: the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people 
STEADFASTNESS: firmness in belief, determination, adherence; state of being firmly fixed in place, not subject to change
DEDICATION: self-sacrificing devotion for a particular cause or purpose  
PASSION: a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something; intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction

The players' fortitude and resolve is tested beyond physical limits. This is called "gut check time," a moment of challenge when the players find out, as the saying goes, "who wants it more." A popular saying among hockey commentators when games become tense and a big play is needed to make the difference between victory and defeat is:

WILL BEATS SKILL

In real life, just like in sports, internal motivation drives the external engine. Some say the difference between setting a goal and reaching that goal is action, but at times we're challenged with fear, doubt, and uncertainty that we'll be able to reach the goal we've set. Doubts creep in when we feel like we have to justify ourselves to others concerning the goals we seek to accomplish. When push comes to shove we must be able to forge ahead, to power through mentally, emotionally, even spiritually, to win our prize when talent and skill alone is not enough to get the job done. The opponent we often face is not outside but inside, most likely between the ears:

"Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." - Kaddim Seddiki

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." - William Shakespeare

It is at these moments that we must not only take note of what we do, but why we do it. Our will is the answer to our "why," and it powers our drive to succeed just like the fuel that gives energy to cars, taking us where we want to go. Our why could be something, or more important, our why could be someone. Whether it's something we want to achieve, or someone we want to spend our precious time with, our why has to be personal. Some may call it selfish, but that really doesn't matter. Our goal is just that, OURS, and no criticism by anyone who doesn't understand our motivation (or our dedication) really matters:

"He who has a why can endure any how." - Friederich Nietzsche

"In order to succeed,  your desire for success must be greater than your fear of failure." - Bill Cosby

When all is said and done, it's not your skill, but your will that gives you the urge to keep going when all logic tells you it makes more sense to give up the fight, that all the people you know who settled for an average life would understand if you just quit. Ask yourself: do you want to be satisfied with life as a copy of mediocrity, or would you rather be a magnificent original?

"Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity." - Will Smith

Anyone can be average, anyone can settle...only the unique, those willing to stand out can be truly magnificent.  The question is...will YOU?

That's all for now, gotta run.  Until we meet again, remember:

Keep it simple...See ya!

P.S.  Having challenges in your business?  Maybe this article will help:

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