I’ve spent my adult life studying what makes the difference between those who achieve at a high level from those who don’t. It’s a topic that has always fascinated me.
Is it luck? Is it genetics? Is it work ethic?
Certainly, those factors all play an important role.
But are they the true “difference makers” when it comes to success?
LUCK
Life has taught me that, for most of us, good and bad luck tends to even out in the long run.
I agree with Barry Switzer, who said, “Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.”
Some people do have a lot more luck than others at the starting gate. No doubt about that.
But I also think that with the exception of some extreme examples—like being born into generational wealth, for instance—most of us end up being dealt about the same amount of good luck and bad luck throughout a lifetime.
It’s how we respond to both good and bad luck that makes the difference.
GENETICS
Genetics absolutely play a crucial role in one’s success.
In sports, there are some people who are naturally bigger, stronger, more coordinated, and more athletic thanks to their genetics. In other fields, we all know people who, for example, were naturally “good with numbers” or “creative” or “good with people” from a very young age.
The good news is that we’re all born with certain innate interests and skills that give us an advantage. It’s our job to let those advantageous genes lead us to the callings that make the most of them and then work extremely hard at developing them further.
The bad news is that the list of people who choose not to make the most of their genetic advantages is a very long one. We all know people who had natural talents, but lacked the work ethic to develop those talents and reach their full potential.
Again, the difference maker is what you do with the genetics you are born with.
WORK ETHIC
A strong work ethic is simply a nonnegotiable if you want to be successful.
With very few exceptions, the most successful people in a competitive environment do tend to be the hardest workers—partly because they love their work so much that it doesn’t feel like work to them.
But having a strong work ethic alone isn’t enough.
There are lots of people who put in long, hard days of grueling work who never make it to the top of their chosen field.
The willingness to work hard is a minimum requirement for success, and not necessarily a difference maker. It’s the price of entry into the arena, not the difference maker once you’re in there.
This is because everybody near the top is working hard. Achieving an ambitious goal is going to require a lot of time and effort on your part. You have to accept that going in.
Knowing that pure hard work is required from the start can be a turn-off to many people. It will end their aspirations before they even begin (or perhaps shortly after they’ve experienced the workload required).
Your attitude towards and your willingness to embrace the hard work required is what makes the difference.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
So, there’s no question luck, genetics, and work ethic all matter.
But none of those factors are the difference maker in determining where you end up in life.
The difference maker is how you respond to each factor.
How do you respond when life throws a series of bad-luck events at you?
Do you blame bad luck or other people for not getting what you want? Do you use bad luck as an excuse to quit on your dreams?
Or, do you refuse to back down, believing you will find a way to overcome the problem? Do you keep moving forward, believing this may be leading you to something better as long as you refuse to quit? Do you regroup and focus on attacking the problem with extreme effort and a positive attitude?
How do you respond to the innate talents and passions you were born with?
Do you fatalistically blame a lack of inborn talent for why you can or can’t do something? Do you get jealous of others and the advantages they were born with? Do you ignore the passions that would have led you to your true calling in life?
Or, do you do everything you can to develop your God-given talents? Do you remember to be grateful for the gifts and advantages you were born with? Do you do everything in your power to keep chasing the passions in your heart, even when the odds are against you?
How do you respond to the work required for success?
Knowing that to achieve big goals you must put in an extraordinary amount of effort, do you lower your ambitions and convince yourself it’s just not worth the time and effort required to achieve such a big goal?
Or, do you step up to the challenge and embrace the work, committing yourself to doing whatever it takes for as long as it takes to achieve your goal?
THE SUCCESS EQUATION
This is what “the success equation” is all about.
E + R = O.
Event + Response = Outcome.
It’s the RESPONSE that makes the difference.
This is what great coaches like Lou Holtz meant when he told his players, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond.”
It’s how you RESPOND that makes the difference.
The luck that comes your way, the genetic abilities and interests you are born with, the work ethic required for a given objective—there’s nothing you can do to change those things.
The only thing you can change is your response to these factors.
How will you RESPOND?
That’s what makes the difference in life.
