ABILITY - EFFORT - OPPORTUNITY

**** It was Tuesday morning I saw him . He was crossing the street at Tillman & Hale . He was heading across the street to the Lester Community Center .

He was about 9 or 10 . He was wearing a tee shirt & basketball shoes . I figured he was going to the center to spend the day shooting hoops. Also to take advantage of the free lunch & drinks provided .

He could spend the day inside shooting hoops or on the street shooting up or shooting at . I thought he pulled a bad ticket in Life's Lottery . It is hard to overcome starting in Binghamton .

Now , some of you will say he has the same opportunity as anyone else . 24 hours in a day & all that .

And I say to you Buffalo Chips . I think your starting point in Life makes a big difference . It is hard to win the race when you start way behind & run uphill,against the wind .

Malcom Gladwell says as much in all those books he writes . Gladwell says your success is determined by factors mostly beyond your control . OOO! we don't like to hear that . We would like to think it was all us .Afraid Not !

Let's ,look at three factors ;

$$$ ABILITY - Now I could work 24 hours a day & have opportunity galore & I still could not play in the NBA . I am not tall enough .

You can only be successful in the areas where you have the required amount of ability . You can't overcome lack of ability with work or anything else . That fact ended my hopes of a singing career . First Question - Do I have enough ability for what I am Trying ?

$$$ EFFORT - Am I willing to work hard enough? There are many with talent & ability but they are not willing to work .

Gladwell estimates it takes at least ten thousand hours of intense practice to be good .For example , the Beatles playing nonstop at those clubs in Hamburg . Alabama did the same thing playing in the Myrtle Beach club .

Whatever your field , you have to prepare for when the opportunity arrives .

$$$ OPPORTUNITY - It makes no difference how talented you are or how hard you work unless you get an opportunity .

Go to Nashville & wander around the nightclubs . You will marvel at how good the performers are . They are talented & hard working but have had no opportunity .

The most cruel thing you can do to a person is to deny them opportunity .

Opportunity is hard to come by so make the most of each one you have .
So there you have the three factors of success & we are in control of only one . It seems Gladwell is right .

THANK YOU FOR READING !!!!