I remember hearing this quote a few months back and being struck with how powerful, simple, and true it is.
Every professional was once an amateur.
Often times when you are a high school or college student and you aspire to someday be the best in a particular field or industry, it can seem like a very daunting and challenging task.
If you play basketball, it’s tough to think about being the best when you watch LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan play your sport. If you want to be a writer, it seems overwhelming to be the next John Grisham, Stephen King, or J.K. Rowling.
It may be tough to grasp this when we think about these world class professionals, but…
At one point, they were all terrible at what they did.
I bet truth be told LeBron and Kobe have air-balled more shots than they want you to know about. Writers like Grisham, King, or Rowling would probably be embarrassed if any of their very first writings were ever uncovered.
Because for all of us, when we start out doing anything new, we usually suck at it.
So if you’ve got a dream to be the best at something someday, don’t compare yourself to those who have been doing it longer than you. Because whether you realize it or not, they were once an amateur just like you.
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