Short Cuts
“Genius is one percent inspiration and 99% perspiration.” – Thomas A. Edison
Both humble and profound, Edison’s quote contains a daunting universal truth about what it takes for a person to be remarkable. There are no short cuts to greatness.
The poet or musician first internalizes the rules of their craft in order to artfully break them. Professional athletes work tirelessly to build the endurance and muscle memory that allow them to perform effortlessly under extreme conditions. Scientists painstakingly repeat experiments to prove their hypotheses.
Yet in the face of countless examples, there appears a corollary to Edison’s truth…or maybe it’s just human nature. We look for short cuts.
Why? For one thing, sometimes it works. Sort of. That’s why there are CliffsNotes and microwave dinners. But anyone who’s had a microwave burrito knows that it bears little resemblance to the fare you can get a the local carniceria where the salsa and tortillas are made from scratch daily.
Another reason for short cuts is that sometimes they are the pace car for innovation. Continuously looking for faster ways of doing something can, in fact, improve a process. But even then, diligence manifests.
Alas, I am as guilty of short cut hubris as the next human. My thinking goes…I don’t really need to read the book, I can just skim it. Or, I’m sure the instructions are meant for people who don’t have my knowledge. Experience has taught me that my outcomes are commensurate with my effort. Nothing more and nothing less.
Therein lies the gift. To reveal our greatness, we need only to keep striving for it.
One Comment
Gary Hoover
Your comments are appropriate for the general population. but don’t take into account the innate ability of a select group of the population who turn short cuts into a high level of productivity and effecency.