Overnight Success

"Overnight success" is just another way of saying "no one noticed until now". – S.L.

J.K Rowling wrote for 2 years before Harry Potter became a household name. A good number of other writers wrote using pen names as they wrote half-baked quickies in order to pay the bills. I don’t recall how long Alex Haley wrote until “Roots” became a success, but I believe it involved decades. Painters in the previous centuries would paint over their previous works that didn’t sell so they wouldn’t waste the canvasses – even the great ones. Many musicians practice for years and years before they get their big break that launches them into “instant” stardom.

But you don’t hear a lot about those parts of the stories, and it’s given to many people the gimmees. They want success now, just like they heard their favorite actor, singer, sports star had it. They didn’t hear or glossed over all the hard work that went with the raw talent in order to create the big break, the fabulous career, the fame. Someone once said that success is when opportunity meets preparation. Too many people believe that success is when opportunity meets raw talent. You can be as talented as Picasso, Bruce Springsteen, and Magic Johnson combined, but if you aren’t willing to do the work, if you aren’t willing to prepare what’s necessary, your opportunities won’t come along.

If you want something in your Future, prepare for it. You’ll get more opportunities that way.