When the news broke that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich had been arrested on charges of corruption, I was stunned at first by the audacity and greed of this public official. Can you imagine trying to "sell" the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder? He was seeking money, favors, and even a high-paying job for himself and his wife. Apparently, Blagojevich felt these rewards were out of his reach through the traditional means of hard work, dedication, intelligence, and skill.
What Blagojevich has failed to understand is that there is no shortcut to success. You can’t skip key steps like hard work, motivation, dedication, and vision. People who attempt to do so end up with one of two results: either they crash head-on into a brick wall that prevents them from proceeding, or like Blagojevich, they rise to the top of a mountain and fall off the other edge because they weren’t properly equipped to plan the ascent.
I encourage you to take the time to map out your blueprint for success. Where do you want to go? What are the necessary steps to get there? What extra efforts do you need to make to achieve those goals along the timeline you have established? Then look at this plan and remove one step. What does it do to the potential outcome? Will it prolong the schedule? Will it reduce the results? Or, like Rod Blagojevich, will it place you in a position that leaves you on shaky ground?
Overnight sensations do not happen overnight. They may suddenly achieve the recognition for their efforts but I guarantee you they did not find some magic shortcut. That road is a dead end.
Myers
