A man had an operation, and the doctor, by mistake, left a sponge in him. A friend asked him if he had any pain because of it. "No," said the man, "but I sure do get thirsty."
Isn't it wonderful when we get thirsty - not for water, but thirsty to chase a dream or to so something different? I think it is those people who crave something with an unquenchable thirst who, in the end, are likely to be most satisfied with their lives.
Author Napoleon Hill said, "Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." He is really talking about a deep thirst.
Alan C. Elliott tells in his book A Daily Dose of the American Dream about a five-year study that was undertaken to discover what made some people extraordinarily successful. The study consisted of detailed research into the lives of 120 of the nation's top artists, athletes, and scholars.
He reports that the researcher was surprised to find that natural abilities played only a small part in the development of those individuals. As children, these unusually successful adults were often mediocre musicians, athletes or students. But research found that they possessed a powerful thirst to succeed. They practiced the piano for hours every day, rose well before school in the morning to practice swimming or running, or spent huge chunks of time alone (time they could have spent hanging out with friends) working on science projects or painting.
Parental support was also a key factor. Parents of these extraordinarily thirsty young people helped out, exposing their children to great ideas and influential persons. Many sacrificed to ensure that their offspring received good training. But in the end, it was their children's thirst and single-mindedness that made the difference.
The principle applies to adults, too. If you want to be more successful, the question you might first ask yourself is, "How thirsty am I?" Your success in any field you choose, anything you want to be or anything you want to do will hinge on your answer to that simple question.
How thirsty are you?
-- Steve Goodier
Image: flickr.com/amanda tipton
