How To Become Accomplished

Few people epitomize the art of being accomplished more than Tiger Woods and the game of golf. He is now 31. He putted with Bob Hope on the Mike Douglas show when he was 2. When he was 3 he shot a 48 over 9 holes of golf. He was on the cover of Golf Digest when he was 5. He has a lifetime of practicing and competing. But he’s only 31.

Being young doesn’t mean a person is inexperienced. Tiger has almost 30 years of golfing experience. He’s accomplished. Of course, he’s extraordinarily talents, but if you give most people 30 years of quality experience - at anything - you’ll likely get a person who is accomplished.

For Tiger the key may have been starting early. Head starts almost always benefit us. The earlier we can begin a quality quest toward accomplishment (of anything), the greater the chance we’ll soon become accomplished. We may never be Tiger Woods great - but being accomplished isn’t about being the very best. It’s about being very good. An expert. The world is full of expert golfers who have never won any PGA event.

We tend to become accomplished at things that interest us. Video games, website design, writing, speaking, selling, accounting, sailing, hunting, driving, reading - name the activity and it’s possible to become accomplished. Being accomplished requires time, experience and quality practice.

Discover your passion as soon as possible.

Chase it hard.

Find a good coach/mentor.

Be patient. Give it time.

Practice, practice, practice.

Don’t quit too soon. Sometimes success happens just as you think you’re failing.

Think of it. If you’re unable to do something today (let’s say playing a musical instrument), but you start today - by taking lessons, practicing daily and learning all you can - within a few years you could be accomplished at it. Good enough to get a recording contract? Likely not, but good enough to be considered by everybody who hears you - as accomplished. Capable, even expert.

The few years is where we trip up. “You mean I can’t be accomplished by the end of the week?” We’ve grown so used to compressing time that our patience is shot. We’ve little patience for anything. Rarely, do we put ourselves into a position to see the value of the sacrifice necessary.

If we practice the piano every day - so we can become an accomplished piano player - we’ll miss some of our favorite TV shows. We’ll miss hanging out with our friends. We’ll miss lots of things.

So I guess the conclusion is that we’ll become accomplished at those things that mean enough to us. Enough that we feel they’re worth the sacrifice.

The price you pay for accomplishment is whatever you’re willing to give up so you can reach a place where you’re considered “accomplished.”

Addendum added 10/12/2007

Read this somewhat related article on “The Einstein Principle: Accomplish More By Doing Less.”

Thanks to Dumb Little Man for directing me to that article.