Re: Changing the Standard

[Franklin McMahon] said: "The creative people who have this desire become very successful, it does not even depend on skills often, its tenacity and drive."

to which [Chris Blair] replied: "I just don't believe this is true, even in this country. You cannot succeed ONLY on desire, tenacity and drive. You MUST have skills and abilities that match. You can possess those skills and abilities... or you can hire them out, but you cannot achieve high levels of success without them. That's like a restaurant who has great marketing and advertising, a cool space, and funky and friendly waiters...but their food sucks. You won't be eating there long based on their desire and tenacity at getting you in the door if that food continues to suck."


Chris,

It is true. And there are plenty of restaurants that have succeeded with terrible food but a great schtick and ambiance. There's a restaurant here in Paso Robles that is downright terrible. They are even truthful in their marketing and call it Big Bubba's Bad B-B-Q. All of the locals even joke that "at least they're truthful" and that "they don't mean 'bad' as in good, but simply bad."

The place is almost nearly always packed. Why? The food? No, the fact that they have sawdust on the floor, serve huge drinks in iced plastic cups that are so ugly that I wonder why anyone would want to take them home (but they do), and the topper is their mechanical bull. It runs almost non-stop.

And success is ALMOST NEVER based solely on talent. Some of the most talented musicians and songwriters that I have ever heard are so obscure that few would know them if I named them.

I once heard a music promoter friend of mine joke that one of Creedence Clearwater's biggest songs had been pushed by the label's A&R and promotions people just to prove that rock n roll didn't have to be three chords, thank you -- the one they pushed had only two.

Success is more often based on tenacity and desire than it is on talent. The University of Michigan a long time ago did a study on success and examined their alumni to see what factors played in those that succeeded. They concluded that attitude and enthusiasm were far more valuable and contributed far more directly to success than did things like intelligence and ability and talent.

We had a guy in our company who was one of the smartest people that I had ever met. In three years he did little to nothing. He accomplished little, even though he had mountains of talent, knowledge and ability. We finally got rid of him to hire Abraham -- who had none of his predecessor's knowledge or ability. But what Abraham did have is drive and ambition. In half the time of his predecessor's tenure here, Abraham has accomplished 10 times more, at least. It may even be double that estimate.

Our Power of Artistic Passion issue of Creative COW Magazine examined this phenomenon.

Yes, it is indeed BEST to have both drive and talent but if I have to make due with only one, give me the drive, every time. I have met far too many talented people who have accomplished nothing and are going nowhere.

Your mileage may vary,

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom

Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry