“Follow your dreams.”
That’s what they tell you. That’s what you tell yourself.
But you never do, and never will.
Economist and TEDx speaker Larry Smith explains why:
Full of fervour, Smith incites students from the University of Waterloo in a way the latest viral commencement speech will not. He does so not by sharing inspirational messages of hope, but by reciting to his audience the many excuses competent people use to avoid having great careers.
But competency isn’t enough. In the past, competency might have been enough if someone had a degree and was willing to work hard, but in the age of automation, competency is the domain of machines.
So if luck, genius, nor even hard work are responsible for greatness, what is?
Passion, says Smith.
In over three decades of teaching, Smith has noted that the students who go on to have great careers are the ones that can tell an interest apart from a passion.
You see, we all have many interests, but a passion is singular. It is an inherent desire, an obsession, to know something totally. In this process of understanding, we discover faults in the system. We work to rectify them, in turn fostering innovation, and innovation is what defines greatness.
Of course, that’s not all it takes, and that’s why it’s important to watch Smith’s speech, not just read about it. For the second element in the founding of a great career is an ability to communicate what makes you great.
Too often, the smartest person in the office is stuck in career limbo because they lack the ability to explain what makes them different, and why that difference matters. Whether they’re shy, or haven’t developed the right skills doesn’t make a difference. Whatever the excuse, it’s still just an excuse.
To have a great career, we must be ready to step out of familiar territory, and take on what lies before us without fear, delay, or excuse.
Are you ready?