Focus!

I'm beginning more fully to realize a simple truth: if you persevere, and have intense focus on something, in almost all cases you can achieve it. But the focus you need can be intense.

One of the people I look up to in this area is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Here is a guy who grew up Austria. He knew no English. But he had dreams of becoming an actor. He knew what he wanted to do, what his dream was, from a very young age. When he was 15, he paid a visit to a gym, and discovered the art of weight lifting. Then he had an idea. He thought that bodybuilding might just be his ticket to America, and so, for five years, he spent an average of 5-6 hours a day lifting weights. He won the Mr. Universe award in Europe, and then he moved to America, and won the American equivalent, several years in a row.

However, dispite his success, Hollywood didn't want him. But he persevered, and eight years after arrving in the United States, he had already made his first million. In order to become a good actor, however, he realized he had to put more effort in, and so he switched his main focus to acting, this time spending 6 hours or so a day working on his acting skills.

His insane amount of focus paid off. Today, his films have grossed over 2 billion, and he is one of the best actors in Hollywood, as well as being Governor of California.

What can we learn from this? I think it is as simple as realizing that if you want to do something, focus on it. In fact, if you want to be the best, you should focus on it to a fault. Don't give up your friends and family, but focus on what you want to do, even to the point where they notice, and even wonder what is wrong with you. Of course, this kind of focus is not necessary in order to achieve moderate success. But you can be entirely successful in what you want to do, you can rise to the top. Just focus.

"Deutschland!!"

Today I am performing a comedy routine on Germany as part of the NCI Talent Show. Here is a video of it.



If this doesn't work, click here for the web version.
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Here is a translation of the beginning: "Hello people. I have a bit of fear that you will not understand me. But perhaps that is fine. Then I can talk about my favorite subject: girls. I think Canadian girls are prettier than German girls. German girls are a little bigger and not as slim, but Canadian girls are always pretty."

A note: The beginning of this presentation is only a joke, like the rest of it is. I don't actually think German girls are ugly!

Chirstmas holiday is starting! I hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!