There is a saying, ‘that you can know about something without really knowing it’.
As strange as it may seem so many people work at a career or take on a leadership role without really knowing what it takes to be truly successful. The level of mastery is reached by investing time and interest in going deeper in the study of our chosen field and personal development. Experience is the best teacher but that needs to be enhanced with taking an hour a day to read books, listen to CDs and taking courses in the area of your chosen field. This surely will make you an expert.
I came across this story and believe it’s the perfect message to explain this point.
‘A Story That Can Change Your Life’ by Mac Anderson (Founder, Simple Truths). In 1972, Jim Cathcart was working at the Little Rock, Arkansas Housing Authority, making $525 a month, with a new wife and baby at home, no college degree, no past successes, and not much hope for the foreseeable future.
One morning, he was sitting in his office listening to the radio, to a program called “Our Changing World” by Earl Nightingale, who was known as “the Dean of Personal Motivation.” That day, Nightingale, in his booming voice, said something that would change Jim’s life forever: “If you will spend an extra hour each day in study of your chosen field, you will be a national expert in that field in five years or less.”
Jim was stunned, but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Although he had never given a speech, he had always wanted to help people grow in areas of personal development and motivation. He began his quest to put Nightingale’s theory to the test by reading books and listening to tapes whenever he could. He also started exercising, became better organized, and joined a self-improvement study group. He persisted through weeks of temptations to quit, just by doing a little more each day to further his goal. Within six months he had learned more than he had in his few years of college, and he began to believe he could turn his goal of becoming a motivational speaker into reality. All the hard work, the discipline, and study paid off. Jim now has delivered more than 2,500 speeches worldwide and has won every major award in the speaking industry.
Just like companies have market value, so do people. In the simplest terms, your market value increases by knowing and doing more. Knowledge is power, not only for your career, but also to improve your family and spiritual life. I once heard a quote that sums it up well, “Knowledge is like climbing a mountain; the higher you reach the more you can see and appreciate.”
What a great lesson! Be curious about how others do things. There is a wealth of information available to serve you in becoming an Expert and in the process your self confidence will soar. Awareness is the key to change and knowledge is the path. What action are you Ready to take?
P.S.The ‘ARE YOU REDDY?’ RETREAT (Barbara Sunden Leaders Take the Lead ) IS COMING IN SEPTEMBER. Keep reading the weekly blogs for details on location and how to register…..
