TALENTS IS NEVER ENOUGH

TALENTS IS NEVER ENOUGH
BY John.C.Maxwell:

#Reviewed by Benedict  MAYOR

 "John C. Maxwell" is an author and speaker on leadership. His books, which have sold more than 12 million copies, include The Difference Maker, Be All You Can Be and Failing Forward. Most of his writings talks about people depending on their talent.
  According to him talent is ordinary. Everyone has talent of one sort or another. The trick is to develop and enhance your talents and maximize your abilities so you can reach your goals. You will accomplish more if you focus on improving your talents than you will if you add other principles to your talent.
   Now before going forward we need to understand what talent means: Many sees  Talent as a gift, or aptitude that one naturally have.
 Talent is the skill that someone naturally has to do something that might seem  hard to others. It is an ability that someone is born with.
 Examples;Singing, dancing,  writing, playing football.
   These little examples are somehow difficult for others but to some they are nothing they perform such very easy without stress, That is talent.
   Many sees footballer as something that is naturally difficult but to Messi,  Ronaldo and other,they see football as an easy game.That means they are talented in football.
 Today we live in a talent-obsessed culture. Media, managers, and others fawn over talented people. But talent alone
does not ensure success. Only “talent-plus people” -- those whose personal attributes activate, direct, sustain,
and protect their talent -- are able to rise to the top.
   This is what John C. Maxwell founded of Injoy Stewardship Solutions is trying to explain  because Even if someone has talent they still have to work very hard if they want to be very good at something. Some people become quite good at something even if they do not have much talent, but if they are willing to work very hard at the skill.
   Now what are those things or principles that one must delightfully add to his talent to ensure success? As we noted before in the examples we gave,*Messi* is seen by all as a talented footballer but guess what MESSI train for more than 12 hours in a day that is he uses half of the day to train himself.
   Talent-plus person based on what I deduced from Maxwell book is a person who diligently adhere to the 13 principle he outlined.
   According to him, talent is necessary for success, but it is never sufficient. Talented people are a dime a dozen, but successful
people aren’t. In fact, the most successful people aren’t necessarily the most talented. More than half of
Fortune 500 company CEOs had only C or C-minus averages in college. They have succeeded by using their
belief, initiative, focus, perseverance, and character to maximize their innate talent. Nothing is wrong with talent,he added that we should be inspired by the way others have shaped our world. But we must also separate what talented people do from who they are. Even they have personal failings. Without continued work and strong character, they will lose their advantage.
   So let take a look at those principles.

*BELIEF*

 1:*BELIEF LIFTS YOUR TALENT*
   The biggest obstacle to success for most people is their lack of belief in themselves. They don’t
trust themselves, which results in a self-imposed limitation that creates a ceiling on what they
can accomplish. Simply embracing more positive beliefs will help you marshal the resources and
inner strength that you need in order to develop your talent.
The following beliefs will lift you to success:
   Before one can accomplish or achieve any thing he or she must first have belief in his or her self by first believing he can do it.
 *Belief Determines Expectations
*
 He said If you want to succeed, focus more on your beliefs than your talent. Some have called it the
“sure enough” syndrome. If you expect to fail, sure enough, you will. If you expect to succeed,
sure enough, you will. You will experience on the outside what you believe on the inside.
 *Expectations Determine Actions.In 20 of the world’s most primitive languages, the word for belief is the same as the word for do.It’s only the modern world that has separated them. Our expectations are what brings them back together. We will never live in a way that is inconsistent with our expectations for ourselves.
 *Actions Determine Results*
That may seem obvious, but many people don’t make the connection. They simply hope something good will happen. If you want good results, you need good actions. Good actions come from positive expectations, which start with positive beliefs.

 2. *PASSION*

*PASSION ENERGIZES YOUR TALENT
*

   Passion will fuel your trip to the top. It will help you take risks and work harder to achieve your goals. It will give you a contagious magnetism and enthusiasm, drawing countless others to your cause.
  *Below are the power of passion*

1. Passion is the first step to achievement: If you love what you do, it shows. If you don’t, that shows too. It is difficult to achieve something you don’t really desire.

2. Passion increases willpower: Passion turns your “have-to’s” into “want to’s”. People who want
something find the will to make it happen.

3. Passion produces energy: Energy naturally comes to those with passion; people without energy are more likely people without passion.

4. Passion is the foundation for excellence: People work harder, and do better, at the things they care about.

5. Passion is the Key to success: In a survey of executives on what makes people successful, 80% said enthusiasm, not talent.

6. Passion makes a person contagious: Passion is caught, not taught. People are instructed by reason, but inspired by passion.

 3. *INITIATIVE*

INITIATIVE ACTIVATES YOUR TALENT
    While it is a cliché to say that every journey begins with the first step, it’s still true. Successful people don’t wait for things to be perfect before taking a step—they take initiative and get started.


 *Below are some Insights on Initiative*

1. Initiative is the first step to Anywhere: Your success in life isn’t determined by where you
start, but by whether you start.

 2. Initiative closes the door to fear: We all have fears; the question is whether we control them or they control us.

3. Initiative Opens the Door to Opportunity: People who take initiative may succeed or fail, but not taking initiative almost guarantees failure.

4.*FOCUS*

FOCUS DIRECTS YOUR TALENT
Focus does not come naturally to us, yet it is essential for anyone who wants to make the most
of his talent. When you are surrounded by opportunities, you must focus on the most important one -- or else you will miss them all. Simply finding a focus and pursuing it is the best way to
start.

 *Basic Facts About Focus*
1. Focus does not come naturally to people, especially in a culture with a myriad of choices and
opportunities. The ability to concentrate fully on one thing at a time makes a huge difference.

2. Focus Increases Your Energy: The mind doesn’t reach towards achievement until it has clear objectives; then all kinds of untapped resources become available.

3. Focus lifts you: Just by striving to become better, you become elevated. You can’t shoot for the stars and remain unaffected by the effort.

4. Focus expands your Life: Narrowing your view widens your perspective and expands your capacity.

5. Focus must be intentionally sustained: Staying focused isn’t natural—it requires effort, but the
payoff is significant.

 5. *PREPARATION*

 PREPARATION POSITIONS YOUR TALENT

    When you prepare for the future, you position yourself to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. But many people fail to prepare, either because they don’t see the value of preparation before action, or they fail to appreciate the value of discipline.

 *Maxwell also outlined six principles of Preparation
*

1. Preparation allows you to tap into your talent. Identifying what needs to be done, gathering materials, setting aside time, all enable you to bring your “A game” to the table.

2. Preparation is a process, not an event. It is a continuous developing of your skills, knowledge,
and abilities, which add up over time. It isn’t just preparing once, but continuously.

3. Preparation Precedes opportunity. If you want to take advantage of your opportunities, you must be prepared when they arise. Once the opportunity presents itself, it is too late to prepare.

4. Preparation for tomorrow begins with the right use of today. If you believe that your success tomorrow depends on your right use of today, you will treat today differently. Preparing today
means you won’t be repairing tomorrow!

5. Preparation requires continually good perspective. Understanding the importance of preparation and the difference it makes will motivate you to prepare today for what you may
encounter tomorrow.

6. Good preparation leads to action. It is possible to over-prepare to the point of failing to act.
 *Preparation is not about knowing all the answers; it means putting yourself in a better position to succeed.*
 6. The 6th principles is named *Perseverance. Perseverance sustains your talent.


 7.  PRACTICE SHARPENS YOUR TALENT

 8. COURAGE TESTS YOUR TALENT

 9. TEACHABILITY EXPANDS YOUR TALENT

 10. CHARACTER PROTECTS YOUR TALENT

 11. RELATIONSHIPS INFLUENCE YOUR TALENT

 12. RESPONSIBILITY STRENGTHENS YOUR TALENT

13. TEAMWORK MULTIPLIES YOUR TALENT
   These are the 13 principles that Maxwell outlined and if practice it will make one a talent plus person.
 Now that we know the steps we need to maximize your God-given talent, we can now do the necessary work to become a talent-plus person. Doing this will add value to us and others. You will be able to give your talent back to the world and to God, and accomplish more  than you ever dreamed possible.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

Mr elvis AJAH:Team work divides the task and multiplies the success.
Teamwork is the fuel that allows common men to produce uncommon results.