Have you ever heard, "Talent is cheaper than table salt"?

"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." - Stephen King

That statement resonates with me, I have a personal short example to share. My brother was tested in elementary school as Gifted. My cousin, just about the same exact age, was not. When they both entered their college years, one at FSU and the other at UF, respectively; they both encountered varied experiences. He was challenged and almost failed a class his freshman year and she proved to be quite successful. Why and how you ask? Well he still had academic potential because he was gifted / talented, but she had something a more important and pertinent variable- effort / hard work / persistence.

You see, your gifts or talents alone cannot take you to the finish line. You have to be diligent and focused in developing a path to success. You will need to write down and know your goals and how to achieve them. In addition, you will need to be mindful of how you spend your time, to live with a purpose; and finally you will need to be consistent about sticking to your commitments.

My parents migrated to this country as a married couple with three children, with nothing except what they had in their luggage. My mom was a stay at home mom for most of their marriage and my father retired at 55 years old, with a few homes and properties in the USA and internationally. He was a hard worker, he never gave up. He had goals and he achieved them. He never allowed external circumstances dictate his actions or deter his path to reach his goals.

Never underestimate your will to succeed, believe in yourself and the power of self-confidence.