Hard work beats talent

IF you want something bad enough we are never an underdog

In sporting references, there have been many an upset by the "underdog" against a stronger, higher-level team.

In one-off cup games where the two have met, although the favorite may be filled with better players accustomed to winning, the lesser-known team or a team in lower leagues has become the victors.

A team filled with natural talent, with several players performing at the top of their game weekly, has fallen short when they come up against an entire squad with a huge desire to play at their best capabilities for the whole game.

Perhaps the ego of the talented team is too strong, and they believe that they would have to show up and would win the games with ease. In contrast, the minnows appreciate they must outrun, battle harder than they ever had to, and this may be their only chance some might get to play against a team at this level.

Be it self-doubt or that inner critic inside of me, I never considered myself blessed with natural talent in sports (and trust me, when I did, I was soon taken down a peg or two), so I have always had to work hard to achieve all I did.

I would run faster and harder, push it hard in training as I would in a game, and keep going till the final whistle, ensuring I got enough sleep and ate the right foods.

And, to my detriment, at times would expect that from all of my teammates, often showing frustration if they did not make similar levels or sacrifices.

The commitment I showed was because I was passionate about the sport, and I hoped my enthusiasm and spirit would inspire and lift others to do the same.

But it was wrong of me to assume that our levels of passion were the same. In a team sport, you look to your teammates to pull together equally to complete the job.

Concentrating on my own game or performance would have been wiser than worrying about anyone else's.

In other areas of life, this approach would be wise also.

To be the best we can be, to improve on areas we know we may need to strengthen in takes hard work. It brings awareness to understand these areas, but the job is down to ourselves.

To expect others to do the work to suit us or feel let down when others do not perform or act how we think they should undoubtedly disappoint us should this not happen.

Like an inspirational team talk given by a manager or captain, well-clear, honest conversation in the proper manner may highlight ways in which areas could be improved within relationships and, along with teamwork, may bring better results.

Be it in social habits, friend groups, school work, or college, to a work project, we may be faced with parents, caregivers, bosses, or partners who will have their opinions around these, but the only person who can make that change is you.

How passionately we feel about this area or how big our desire for a result will determine the outcome. But if we work hard enough, anything can be achieved.

And if not, we can be left feeling we gave it our all.

Four years of college for someone who was never very academic, the talent of absorbing information has never been my thing, but the passion and desire to succeed pushed me that little harder to learn in ways that suited me.

Using big words or hearing the fancy ones we read in a dictionary would instantly trigger me, losing me in any conversation I would be involved in.

Yet, I would look up the word, understand it, and possibly never use it again should there be a simpler one.

They are my strengths, so I will stick to them,

To my clients, I use language they can understand and analogies that have similarities to specific areas to explain them differently. I do this by listening and hearing what they are saying.

That is my role if you would like to use the term team.

The rest is up to the client.

From each time we sit to the next, they put in the hard work, the uncomfortableness, and the changes they wish to make for something they want so badly.

Taking that step into therapy is hard work. It takes bravery and beats the idea or belief that "this is the way it is," a "talent" so many possess to live a life they feel they are used to, however unhappy they are inside.

If we believe and feel we want something hard enough, we can make that change and make this a reality.

What areas in life are you going to work hard to achieve?

As always, thanks for reading.

Marcus.