Showing Up
Posted: March 31, 2015
’ve often heard it said that 80% of success is showing up. I wasn’t sure who said it, so I did a quick search.
It turns out that the actor, Woody Allen said it during an interview back in the 70’s. Over the years, it’s morphed into a maxim used by coaches, consultants, and even a former President.
Now I’ve always liked Woody Allen. He’s very funny in his ironic and understated kind of way. But is he right? 80%? What about all the other factors that go into success? Let’s take a look.
You can have all kinds of training and preparation. But if you oversleep and miss your job interview, you’re sunk. These are your basic life skills, like responsibility and punctuality.
You can have all kinds of technical skill and experience. But if your people skills aren’t that good, you still might not get the job.
Don’t forget all the years it took to get that training and preparation, too. Without all that time and effort, you might not be qualified.
What about your passion and natural talent for doing something? Without that, you might never even start the journey. I think this is something unique that God puts inside each of us.
And what about the seed planting, watering, and nurturing done by your parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors along the way? Without them, we wouldn’t be who we are, either.
Then there’s that point where planning and preparation coincide with opportunity. It’s that moment when everything comes together and something just “clicks.” Some people call it luck. I think it might be God’s blessing, too.
But when that moment comes, you’d better show up, with your A-game, too. I think that’s what Woody was getting at. It would have been easy for him to give up. Especially since he didn’t fit the typical “leading man” role. But he kept showing up, and had an amazing career.
Sometimes it takes awhile. You don’t always reach base your first time at bat. But if you’re disciplined, committed, and you have a huge desire, you’ll get there.
So show up and take your shot, every chance you get. Keep showing up, until you accomplish your goals. But don’t forget all those other things that make it happen along the way!