The following passage is taped to my desk:

You do not possess a natural gift for a certain job, because targeted natural gifts don’t exist.  You are not a born CEO or investor or chess grandmaster. You will achieve greatness only through an enormous amount of hard work over many years. And not just any hard work, but work of a particular type that’s demanding and painful.

Source: Geoffrey Colvin, Fortune Magazine, October 19 2006

I’ll look up and read this silently during pauses of thought, or flashes of self-doubt in my abilities.  Then I remember, if the endeavor is hard and I don’t like it, that’s normal.

It’s uncomfortable to be challenged and force concentration to beat that challenge.  If it was easy, everyone would have [whatever you're challenge is].

We rarely hear about the demanding and painful times because they don’t make good press.  We like seeing the money and success.  But like anything, ANYTHING worthwhile; success requires a measure of sacrifice, that is demanding and painful.

//A.J.