Sorta Random Sunday: Importance of Showing Up

I really believe in the importance of showing up. Every. Day. I think that is the one major difference between ultimate success and ultimate failure.

I think that the importance of showing up outweighs:

Innate ability and skill
IQ
Physical strength
Enthusiasm
Passion

I’m not saying that those factors are not important. I’m just saying that I think showing up everyday is more important. And I’m basing that on my anecdotal observations as well as personal experience.

My experience with the importance of showing up

I am not particularly skilled at anything. I don’t say that to be self deprecating. But I’m not. Like most people, I am a savant at nothing.

But I have been successful in various endeavors.

Especially looking back now, I pin the majority of my success on showing up and being ready to improve.

Take playing baseball at a highly competitive level growing up. I was never the biggest, fastest, strongest, etc. But I showed up every day to practice, games, etc ready to improve and to put forth my best. As a result, I found more success than many players I know were much more skilled than me.

Similar for plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is the most competitive training to be accepted to. And not only was I accepted into a training program but into arguably the #1 program in the world, NYU.

Was this because I was the brightest, most skilled medical student in the country with the best grades? Nope. I can promise you that wasn’t it. It was because I showed up every day, working hard, and looking to get better.

Heck, I would wager that a big part of the success I have found in the physician blogging world is because I started and kept showing up! With now >600 posts and millions of views, I think I can support this with evidence!

Why does this matter?

It matters because we tend to think that success is only found at extremes. Or that it is only available to those blessed at birth with special gifts or skills.

This is not the case! If the importance of showing up everyday trumps all, then we all have the ability to be successful!

It is really that simple. (Remember, I am a simplifier!)

So, are you struggling to gain a foothold in some endeavor? Or maybe you just can’t find the momentum to get started?

I know that I often have felt this way about various things that I desired to achieve but wasn’t sure how to get there.

What’s my secret?

Just show up. And just keep showing up. Even by simple diffusion, you will improve. And you will find success.

It won’t be a linear pattern. There are always good days and bad ones. Failures along the way are normal. Convert them to lessons. And when you experience failure, make sure to show up the next day. Then day after. And on and on…

Never stop the momentum and never stop the inertia.

And, as a personal aside, I am writing this at a time when I have fallen behind in my goals of exercise, healthy eating, and weight loss. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with how to get started and find success in this arena. So this has been a great reminder that I just need to show up!