6.15 Mark Messier: Competitiveness and Hard Work

"I never looked at myself as the most talented guy, but I worked the hardest. The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” - Mark Messier

Do you rely on your talent or effort?

I often tell my kids and other athletes, “Be someone coaches want to coach and teammates want to play with.”

My favorite athletes to coach are the ones who are talented but don’t rely on their talent; they rely on their effort and work ethic, and they are competitive. They want to win and they hate to lose, but they aren’t afraid to lose. They just want to compete.

Mark Messier is one of the greatest hockey players of all time. He once said, “I never looked at myself as the most talented guy, but I worked the hardest.”

He also said, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

Talent is your natural ability or capacity to do something well; it’s what you’re born with. Your true ability is what you do with your talent. It’s hard, but you are willing to work to maximize it, and that comes with will: Your inner drive or determination to do something, even when it’s hard, uncomfortable, or uncertain.

Mark Messier has a lot more talent than he gives himself credit for, but he became one of the best because he worked hard to maximize his talent.

No matter who you are, you can get better with effort and a willingness to compete.

Question of the Day: What is something you can do to maximize your talent?