The Script and will.i.am
When it comes to inspirational and motivational songs this one does it for me. This 2012 hit, Hall of Fame, by The Script and will.i.am encourages us that we can be who we want to be and we can make an impact on the world.
I know for me, wanting to make a difference is something that motivates me, but what does it take? In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers: The Story of Success, he refers to how the likes of Bill Gates and The Beatles honed their talent with thousands of hours of practice. But is there more to it than this?
Perhaps the idea of talent or genetic predisposition is something to be considered. I guess there are lots of things I could do if I tried hard, yet they might not be what I am most naturally gifted at or physically suited to. This is where the lyrics; You can walk straight through hell with a smile, might motivate. We can train hard, and often push through to some sort of progress.
Yet when I think about all this together, I come to the conclusion, that if we are truly to be the greatest we can be at something, it takes us making the right choice. The song says:
Be students, be teachers,
Be politicians, be preachers,
Be believers, be leaders,
Be astronauts, be champions,
Be truth seekers
What strikes me about this, is that real success requires us all to be something different. We can success at the thing that we are most suited and motivated to be. I think this has a significant impact with regards our wellbeing. I’m sure we’ve all seen people who work hard to be successful at something and end up becoming ill by burning themselves out. Yet, it’s not so much the hard work which does the damage, but the wrong focus.
If we want to succeed, whether it be in our career, recreation, or our personal lives, we need to make intentional decisions about where we place our time and effort. When we match this effort with our natural disposition and interests, we begin to thrive, both in terms of success and wellbeing.
One of the great joys of being a life coach is that I often get to share these moments of discovery with people as they realise they too can be the greatest; the best version of themselves.
Originally published at medium.com