| "If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If | | | | who just have never had the opportunity |
| hehas a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly | | | | (mainly in the form of money) to race cars? Motor |
| failed. | | | | racing iscertainly the "ultimate rich boy's sport". |
| If he has a talent and learns somehow to use the | | | | To finally reap the rewards of success, obviously |
| whole of it,he has gloriously succeeded and has a | | | | talent hasto be there on the long slow road to success |
| satisfaction and atriumph few men ever know." | | | | - and at thetime of success...but has it always been |
| -- Thomas Wolfe | | | | there? Chessgeniuses, athletes, tennis players, |
| I think the key words in the path to success are: | | | | architects, athletes,scientists, dress designers and |
| DESIRE, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION and SELF | | | | advertising creative directors. |
| DISCIPLINE. | | | | These "creative types"! There can be talent deep |
| Because everything starts out with the "seed of | | | | within; butthere has to be hard work and training |
| desire" - thereason why I started out writing - wanting | | | | before the talent bearsfruition - so that it can succeed |
| to make a differencethrough my words. Others are | | | | against (all) others...and thisoften takes a great deal of |
| FOCUS and a SINGLE-MINDEDNESS | | | | time to bear fruit. |
| (in pursuit of one's goals). PERSERVERANCE TOO (in | | | | I believe in life it's firstly a matter of finding your "niche", |
| large | | | | thenunlocking your unique talents...and finding it is the |
| "heaps".The words 'determination' and (by association) | | | | mostdifficult part. You may not even be aware you |
| 'ruthlessness', suggesta person who wants success | | | | have any specialgifts. That is the "key" to success. As |
| and powerfor it's own sake. This is another sort of | | | | I mentioned, I foundwhatever little ones I had through a |
| obsession. However,a desire for power, riches and | | | | process of serendipity...and it's probably my one and |
| fame may have virtually nothingto do with it. By the | | | | only talent! My writing, I mean. |
| way, I feel that not all successful peopleand business | | | | Once uncovered, it's then a question of building on it |
| executives are ruthless - they are not all | | | | andmaximising it. Maria Callas, the opera singer with "a |
| "moneygrabbing corporate raiders". Most of them are | | | | voicelike an angel" put a great deal of effort into |
| "normal andgood family men", who have perfectly | | | | maximising hertalent. Sometimes a phenemenol talent, |
| natural reactions inthat they hate firing employees. | | | | like a Juan Manuel |
| "Soft gentle souls!" | | | | Fangio*, Jim Clark or Ayrton Senna soars above all |
| Determination is often at its greatest, when a person | | | | others;but in most cases it's the effort and total |
| isenslaved by an idea and wants to see the idea work. | | | | dedication put into make the most of one's natural |
| Me! | | | | talents, that puts anindividual into the realm of a |
| There is a further sort of determination: the | | | | superstar - someone who ison a different level, a cut |
| determination tosee things through, to finish the job. For | | | | above the best of the rest. |
| example, a compulsionto qualify for the PGA golf tour | | | | * Fangio won the World Driver's Championship five |
| in America, to finish a building,or in my case to finish | | | | times. |
| writing this manuscript...and then getit published... which is | | | | One can sometimes substitute hard work, training, |
| the hardest part of all. Especially withthe way I write! | | | | experienceand strategy for flair. Nice word that 'flair'. |
| I suppose all these characteristics are somewhat | | | | Could be a girl'sname. Some detectives are like "Mr |
| abnormal;because so-called "normal" people are more | | | | Plod", while a few sleuthshave the natural insight of a |
| passive and lessfocussed than us "obsessive types". | | | | Sherlock Holmes. Most othershave to get results |
| They are regarded asbeing less "mad" by the majority | | | | through hard detailed work in uncoveringcases. I don't |
| of the public, who engage inmore ordinary activities | | | | yet know whether I'm a "natural" writer or amethodical |
| and have more "normal" occupations. | | | | plodder, a "gatherer and passer-onner of |
| This thought leads me on to another question: Is the | | | | useless"information through a great deal of effort. |
| top-mostlevel of success the only one worth having, or | | | | Perhaps only timewill tell! |
| is it sufficientto merely enjoy sport for it's own sake | | | | I might have mentioned before (once, twice or ten |
| (even the professionals)? | | | | times)that this manuscript has been written for anyone: |
| Does every player entering Wimbledon really think he | | | | from themost lowly amateur to the real 'pros' in the |
| orshe is going to win the Championship? Or is it | | | | sporting world.o no matter how lowly your abilities, |
| success itselfjust to play in the Wimbledon | | | | make the most of them. |
| tournament? How realistic isthe vision of success to | | | | As I mentioned already, a positive attitude to life is |
| YOU? It all depends on how you definesuccess for | | | | all-important. A positive attitude says that your natural |
| yourself...which is the thought with which Iintroduced this | | | | talentcan be maximised. It also says that without |
| chapter. | | | | further effort,natural talent will be wasted. I do like |
| I believe that a strong SENSE OF DIRECTION or | | | | repeating myself: foremphasis primarily and as a sign |
| PURPOSE IN | | | | of oncroaching senility too. |
| LIFE is a very important ingredient for success. So too | | | | Sometimes persistent effort alone won't succeed in |
| is apersistent personality. | | | | getting youto the top - only sheer talent will do that... |
| To be successful in whatever endeavour one | | | | together withconsistent effort to keep you at "the top |
| chooses, first ofall requires a great of talent. It might be | | | | of the tree". Nevermind - JUST TRY TO IMPROVE |
| latent, waiting tobe uncovered. Perhaps, you are not | | | | yourself and simply DO YOUR |
| even aware of it. I wonderhow many budding Ayrton | | | | BEST at all times. |
| Senna's and Michael Schumachersthere are around, | | | | |