The Overnight Success

 “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

― Colin Powell

I have often found myself envious of the overnight success.  You know the kind - the young actor who comes on the scene suddenly and is awash in camera lights and trophies; or the writer who writes an runaway international bestseller; or the painter who garners accolades for a few well-placed scribbles on the canvas.  What is missing in this envy is a reality check.  Frequently, the so-called "overnight" success has come about after years of hard work and toil; exasperating hours at the piano; thousands of dollars in training fees; blistered toes and aching joints.  In fact, some of these overnight successes are not successful until after their deaths, having spent their lives in poverty and hunger.  Think Beethoven, van Gogh, Mozart, who lived their lives in misery.  Think of Lincoln whose life was a series of business failures and depression.  Think of Edison, who experimented a thousand times before succeeding at the light bulb.

There are no secrets to success.  Plenty of "how-to" books professing to have such secrets, but at their core, the message is always the same: Define your goal, get the tools, learn the trade, then practice, practice, practice, and don't give up.