How To Become An Overnight Success

It takes time. Although it seems like an obvious contradiction, there is a method to my madness. There is always a lot going on behind the scenes just before the end result.

My family got an exceptionally early start on a way to church this past Sunday morning as several of us gathered at the local IHOP for an early breakfast. Consequently, we arrived at church for the early service almost an hour before it was to begin. Thinking that we would have some quiet time to talk amongst ourselves while everybody else arrived, boy was I in for a surprise. There were already a few dozen cars in the parking lot. As we entered the building the musicians were going full blast warming up for the day’s activities. We thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected “private concert” which got me to thinking exactly why these folks always seem to be “instantly on” during the service. Preparation, practice, purpose.

I have been privileged to do presentations at three different local turning clubs over the last six weeks. I’m sure that to the members it seems like I show up give a two hour demonstration and go home. Mission accomplished no big deal. What they don’t see is all the preparation that must be done in order to get ready for a two–hour meeting. Lathe tools get cleaned, sharpened and organized. Special tools are selected according to the topic of the demonstration. Stock must be prepared and often cut to size and sometimes glued up in advance. All of the miscellaneous items must be prepared and packed; sandpaper, drill chucks, hollowing devices, glue, and 1 million other things which must be included for an effective demonstration. A logical sequence must be developed in order to present the topic so that it flows and makes sense to turners of all skill levels.

And then there are the samples. Since a picture is worth 1000 words and a real–life example is worth 1000 pictures, I always try to have several finished examples of what I’m demonstrating. These have to be gathered and safely packed and for transport and sometimes new samples made especially for this presentation. Upon arrival they have to be organized and properly displayed so they are available for inspection by the audience. After all of this organization, selection and careful packing, things have to get loaded in the vehicle for transport to a location which is often several hours away and usually involves big–city rush–hour traffic. After the demonstration is complete the process occurs in reverse as everything needs to be offloaded and put away after that late night drive home.

It is not unusual for a two–hour demonstration to actually involve eight to twelve hours of prep and driving time. And let’s not forget that in order to make all this possible, I had to learn and develop the methods and techniques used to make a particular project or process. This is the type of preparation needed by everyone who stands in front of you at a meeting or symposium who gives an effective demonstration. If they have prepared fully and effectively it is supposed to appear almost effortless; it is anything but.

This process works exactly the same in your own life. You have a purpose. You prepare your equipment, your stock and your working environment. And then you practice, often while you are making various projects quite successfully. Look back where you were a year ago, two years ago, five years ago. Look how far you’ve come from the beginning and look how short the time seems now that you have developed the skills. Or, if you’re just starting out, this process will work for you as

well. Let us remember that life is a journey not a destination and that our greatest accomplishments are often still in the future. Because, wherever you go there you are.

Here is my inspiration for this message:

Habakkuk 2:1–4 Message Bible

1 What's God going to say to my questions? I'm braced for the worst. I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I'll wait to see what God says, how he'll answer my complaint. 2 And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. 3 This vision–message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming – it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. 4 "Look at that man, bloated by self–importance – full of himself but soul–empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive.