Why You Must Step Up to the Plate Regardless of Your Skill

Photo by Chas Redmond

Improving your craft can only be accomplished through two methods:

Reading about it and doing it.

Prior to PI coming out of the womb of its celestial mother, I opted to read two books since my grammar sucked and my grasp of writing deficient.

The books helped prepare me for blogging, but even after reading them… I still had so much to learn and to this day am nowhere near the level of proficiency I seek to be. One thing’s for certain, though, I became much more accomplished by diving in and starting the blog than by incessantly reading about the skills it requires.

There’s nothing wrong with a little preparation before starting a project. But this step can be taken too far, as much of what you learn can only be had by doing.

Strange Incident Just Before I Started Blogging

I found myself standing atop a diving board at the local YMCA, 12 feet above the water.  As I was about to run and jump, someone in the stands screams, “stoooop… but you have more studying to do. You aren’t ready. Come down before you hurt yourself and sit in the stands with us.”

The fact that the kids in the stands were all young teenagers dressed in preppy private school clothing only heightened the sheer Twilight Zone nature of this episode.

So I look over at these charming young lads with my head slightly tilted towards them. They were gazing at me as if desperate that I would heed their word and not take the plunge. A small smirk begins to ensue on my face as my relaxed and almost drug induced eyes look upon them. In a sudden burst that even left me taken aback, I take one long step… feel my total weight plunge downward, only to have the spring of the board coming up with full force and not a tinge of apology.

As I’m catapulted into the air my body is limp and disorganized, as if I really don’t give a crap whether or not I’m met with a belly flop. All that mattered was that I took the plunge. Consequences can follow.

Plummeting towards the water, moments away from learning through direct experience just how hard water can actually be, my limp body suddenly goes from limp and aimless to full on canon ball action. All hell breaks loose.

Water goes everywhere. Those kids in the stands? Forget about it, dresses and ties drenched. The woman to the other side of the pool with her precious toddler? Forget about it, soaking wet and crying like he hasn’t eaten in days.

How many times do I have to tell you that my name is Bamboo Forest?

Just before swimming up to the surface, I glance up and see the sun piercing through the water, pause, and ask myself, “What the hell is going on here?”

Slowly I make my way up to the surface and as my head pierces the water I’m bombarded with a cacophony of high pitched prep school brats screaming, “Boooooooooooo! “Booooooooooooo!”

Next thing I know, the woman with the toddler frantically runs over to the side of the pool and yells at me for getting her precious little toddler wet.

“I’m sorry mam… I’m just trying to do my business.” As if this all couldn’t get any weirder, I told this to her in a southern accent and don’t have the foggiest idea why.

Learn from Others and Your Own Experiences

Joseph Sugarman, the master copywriter at the conclusion of his superb book, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook has the following to say.

”I am not the smartest of men. Had I been smarter I would not have made many of the mistakes I did. I would have read more of the direct marketing books and learned more that would have prevented those mistakes from ever happening.”

He goes on to say,

“I never graduated from college, my grades were not great and I practically flunked English. . . . I’m not formally educated in many of the subjects necessary to ply my craft . . .”

“I am also not that much more talented than others. There are many great writers, marketers and entrepreneurs. If you work longer hours, if you risk more of your time and capital, eventually you learn. I worked and risked a lot. And I learned a lot.”

Believe You Will Continue to Improve

Did you dive in? Check. Continuing to read about your craft while you do it? Check.

Now… Do you believe deeply that your game is going to continue to rise in proficiency like a hot air balloon that knows no limits?

I believe what we tell ourselves has a huge impact on the direction we travel. What are you telling yourself?

I tell myself, all the time, that my writing skills will continue to flower and evolve. I tell myself that with more and more practice and more and more studying up and applying what I learn: My writing will only get better and better and better.

I tell myself things that put me in the direction I want to go.

I’d argue that it’s conceivable that you could surpass someone who is more talented than you on the basis that you believe you can keep flying higher. Your belief system, undoubtedly, has a huge impact on outcome.

The more talented, yet complacent person, coasting on the current of his inherent ability unwilling to believe the skies are the limits may never venture into uncharted rapids. Yet you’re busy dipping your toes in them and preparing for the plunge.

In some ways the mind is an empty vessel. It comes alive by what you tell it.

What are you telling yourself? What is it that you are doing?

Photo by bitzi