by Elaine Cercado
HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE A STRENGTH?
Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”
No matter how strong we are, if we have a dull ax, we will face a big challenge to chop down a tree. Reversely, a sharpened ax will make all the difference, as it will enhance and maximize our natural strength or power.
To maximize means “to make the greatest or fullest use of”. My formula to maximize a specific strength or talent is this: 3P (Patient Practice to Perfection) + IE (Improvement thru Evaluation) = 3PIE
Pie is also another word for easy. So, we may say that with PATIENT PRACTICE to PERFECTION, and with continuous IMPROVEMENT through ongoing EVALUATION, things become easier. Be it a new skill we are learning at work, a new habit we are forming, or a discovered strength or talent in life.
In an article, it said that Albert Einstein, who is often used as the ultimate inspirational figure in science as an “untamed genius with an abundance of innate brilliance”, might not be quite as inspiring as we think.
In a related study, it may actually be “hard work, not innate genius, that really inspires people to get into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).” This was proven in a university test focused on motivation and inspiration, which included both Einstein and Edison.
Edison’s success is seen to have come from hard work — famously, it took him over one thousand attempts to successfully create the lightbulb. It turned out that the participants in the test found Edison to be more inspiring as a role model.
My other example is my son, who was a competitive swimmer when he was in middle school. Their team coach required them to practice 4 times a week for a minimum of 3 hours each time – and he did this after his academic classes. His hard work and constant practice paid off! He got very fit, skilled in swimming and confident in competing. He was able to surpass his “personal best” record in every swim meet he participated in.
So, remember our key to maximising our strength – the 3PIE, which is PATIENT PRACTICE to PERFECTION and continuous IMPROVEMENT through EVALUATION.
Watch out for a part 2 of “Maximize the POWERinU”. Meantime, apply the 3PIE and keep growing the POWERinU!
You may also view in YouTube the Empower Bites 3 and the entire playlist “EMPOWER Bites“.
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