Outdone by a Teenager
A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to go and spend some time with my wife's relatives.
I was excited to see a ping-pong table in her parent's living room...
When I was young, I used to love playing ping-pong and was pretty good, if I do say so myself. I eagerly looked for my first victim as everyone said their "hellos."
As my eyes caught the stare of a young teenager, he gave me a devilish grin and said, "are you ready?"
I was smiling on the inside...figuring I was about to wipe that look right off his face!
We started hitting the ball back and forth for a few minutes and I realized a couple of things...first, it had been many many years since I held a ping-pong paddle in my hands...and clearly my "chops" were not up to par.
Second, he seemed to be extremely comfortable in his game and had zero trouble keeping up.
This was a bit disconcerting...but it was about to get much worse.
Shocking me into silence...he asked if I was ready to begin a "real" game...
WHAM!!!
Before I could blink...the ball flew passed...acing me with his first serve.
In a matter of only a few short minutes, he was up by 10 points.
He won the game 21 to 4...serving me a slice of humble pie.
With over a 35 year age difference...the 15 year old had more skill then I could imagine.
So...do I just write him off as some sort of ping-pong genius?
Or...do I acknowledge that he may of spent many hours at this very same ping-pong table...maybe even years.
The same thing can be said about all skills...
Practice makes perfect...especially when it comes to Getting a Yes.
You can listen to a single lesson in one of my courses...and think one of two things: (1) I could never reach that level or (2) I was "born" to do this.
Then you stop and realize how many thousands and thousands of hours of practice over the years I've put in.
The difference, for the most part is...that you have a huge advantage that I didn't - ME.
I've taken my 35 years of experience and boiled it down to what works - both fast and effectively. The years this saves you is almost incalculable.
The bottom line is, the more you work at something the better you become...everyone can be born to do this!
So the question I have for you is...
When do you want your skills to become razor sharp and more effective? What's that you say? You want them right now? Fantastic!
Then when is the time to start working on them?
The time to start is not when you need them perfected... it's RIGHT NOW! The Olympic athletes don't start training a week before competition!
As if I needed a reminder...
Back to the as* whoopin' I got at the ping-pong table...
He politely thanked me for the game and went back to his group of friends.
You could see them chuckling softly....about how the "old" man never saw it coming.
I discreetly asked around to find out who this ping-pong genius was...only to be told he was the champion of his high school. He practiced for four hours every day and was extremely passionate about the game.
It struck me that this young man has what it takes to succeed in life.
If he aims that passion and energy, we'll see a genuine champion emerge...he'll become someone with the ability to change the world.
We are all born with this ability...so that leaves you with just one thing to do:
Get busy...
Get better at learning how to...Get a Yes. Take advantage of all the resources you have available.
And then...practice, practice, practice.
Don't forget that one huge advantage...
Warmly,
Kenrick
P.S. my.MaxPersuasion.com is the perfect place to hone your skills. Spend some time each week asking and answering questions. There is no better way to improve your abilities by leaps and bounds.
And right now you can even win a FREE Mini-Course (up to a $99 value)...just for making a post.