Heed the Dalai Lama -- and Fortune Magazine

I search wide and far to find information I can pass on to readers. As I was researching self-confidence, I came across a Buddhist.Kalachakranet web site that had some interesting information.

I particularly liked a quote from the Dalai Lama, found about half-way down the web page, so I decided to include it here.

I really like this quote because it drives home an important point about personal responsibility and becoming an outstanding performer. The Dalai Lama doesn't let us off the hook by saying, "I didn't think I could do it." Instead, he says that doubting our abilities is a form of laziness. That's some tough love!

And, if you think about it, he is right. All too often, we let ourselves off the hook by saying, "I'm not going to try that, because I don't think I can do it." This is being lazy. "I can't do it, so I won't even try." As I read these words out loud, they sound pretty lame. Agree? If you do, you'll stop using lack of self confidence as an excuse for not doing the work it takes to become an outstanding performer.

In the fall of 2006, Fortune published a special issue called Fortune: The Excellence Issue. The cover story was entitled "What It Takes to be Great." It began with this point: "Research now shows that the lack of natural talent is irrelevant to great success. The secret? Painful and demanding practice and hard work."

Bad news for the get-rich-quick crowd.

The article debunks the myth that some people have an innate talent that makes them great. It ends on an interesting good news/bad news note:

The critical reality is that we are not hostage to some naturally gifted level of talent. We can make ourselves what we will. Strangely, this idea is not popular. People hate abandoning the notion that they would coast to fame and riches if they found their talent. But that view is tragically constraining, because when they hit life's inevitable bumps in the road, they conclude they just aren't gifted and give up. Maybe we can't expect most people to achieve greatness. It's just too demanding. But the striking, liberating news is that greatness isn't reserved for a preordained few. It is available to you and to everyone.

As you read the passage immediately below, think about what the Dalai Lama has to say:

I find it fascinating that Fortune Magazine and the Dalai Lama both agree that blaming your failures on your lack of talent rather than your lack of hard work is futile. Again, the good news: we can all become high performers. The bad news: we have to work hard to do it.

Here are three things to practice if you want to become an outstanding performer:

1. Approach everything you do with the explicit goal of getting much better at it.

2. As you do your work, focus on what you're doing and why you're doing it the way you are.

3. After you finish a piece of work, ask for feedback on your performance from multiple sources. Listen to what these people say. Make the changes they suggest.

If you follow these steps and do them regularly, not sporadically, you'll be on your way to becoming an outstanding performer. These are simple, straightforward, common sense steps. But, like most common sense, they take real commitment to put into play.