Aim for Personal Excellence and Achieve Confidence

“One does not “find oneself” by pursuing one’s self, but on the contrary by pursuing something else and learning through discipline or routine… who one is and wants to be.” - May Sarton

We will have a strong personality only when we recognize our gifts or talents and develop them industriously. Our worth does not come from our achievements; our achievements are the products of our inherent worth. That is, if we have some confidence in ourselves because we are created uniquely in God’s own image – then we would like to achieve something with our talents. We will aspire to do something that will last.

The bonus we get is that as we achieve something valuable, our self-confidence is improved. We are more than what we do, but what we do represents an important part of who we are. Anyone who has strong self-confidence also has a sense of reason in life, and Dr. Karl Menninger (among others) said that to be stable one must have some play, some love, and some work. Therefore, another principle for building self-confidence is to: Find Something You Like To Do And Do Well, Then Do It Over And Over.

There are two important steps to putting this principle into practice:

1. Evaluate your gifts to find out where it is you can make a telling contribution.
2. Take on the difficult task of practice and improvement in order that you become exceptional at one thing.

Talent

“Talent” doesn’t have to mean you paint masterpieces. Caring for people is a talent. Teaching is a talent. Making people feel welcomed is a talent. Solving problems is a talent. Managing is a talent. Parenting is a talent.

Too often we underestimate our own talents. The potter says: “If only I could make music, now that would be something.” The pianist says: “If only I could make things with my hands ….” Don’t measure your skills against others. Do what you can do. Accept what talents you have. Accomplishment comes from developing your talents, not wishing for someone else’s.

Joanna says: “I have a God-given talent with kids, but maybe I’m supposed to be a banker.” If you are literally God’s gift to preschoolers, why would you want to be involved in numbers?
Another thing I notice: most people who tell you they have no talent haven’t tried many things.

Having said this, talent is useful, but it isn’t everything! When people talk about Jack Nicklaus’ golfing success, they usually talk of his extraordinary talent. When Jack talks of his success, he talks about the extra practice ball he hit. Jack knew that the difference between Jack Nicklaus and a thousand other talented golfers was attitude and hard work.

Onlookers and underachievers put major emphasis on talent. For them, talent, or the lack of it, is a great excuse to do nothing. If there is an outstanding quality common to great artists, scientists, sports stars, humanitarians and business tycoons it is not their talent – it is their focus. Once you know what you want to do, get focused! You can’t do everything. You can’t save the whales, heal the sick and plug the ozone layer all at the same time. Leave some chores for the rest of humanity.