Talents vs Habits

Photo by Tomasz Zielonka on Unsplash

This past week I was delivering a custom leadership workshop at the same corporate offsite where UCLA basketball coach Cori Close was delivering the keynote. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit in the audience, soaking up all the great advice she had for achieving great things. She sprinkled in many memorable nuggets that you will probably see surface in some future Sunday Starters, but the one I want to talk about today is what she told us about talent.

"Talents determine your floor," she said, "character and habits determine your ceiling."

Right now, I do not want to be writing. It's been a very long week, and I want very much to just go to bed. But I'm here sticking with my weekly habit because I agree with Close; talent only gets you so far. I could be the greatest writer in the world and never reach my fullest potential if I didn't write consistently.

“Talents determine your floor. Character and habits determine your ceiling.”

I write every week, even when I don't have energy to write much. I write every week, even when it's not my best work. I write every week, because talent is never enough. Whatever it is you are trying to do in this world, remember that who you are and how you show up will always matter more than the skills you have. So show up, show up well, and show up consistently.