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The movie Twins with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger is a campy flick from the 80s, which explores the separation and subsequent reuniting of twin brothers separated at birth. It is a light-hearted comedy, and worth a rent, but the back-story still attempts to explore more complicated and sensitive issues like eugenics and heredity. In order to advance the plot line with some sense of realism, the film assumes that we all can agree — success in life is primarily the result of our biological makeup.

The two brothers, Julius and Vincent, are the result of a failed science experiment from the 50s that intended to breed the perfect human being. Early in the pregnancy the zygote split unevenly, with Julius (Schwarzenegger) receiving all the strength, brains and personality, and Vincent (DeVito) getting everything that was left over. Like any good comedy, this results in an exaggerated conclusion, where Julius is athletic, intelligent and morally sound, and Vincent is a broken-down shyster.

Of course, there is one simple fact that remains, which was briefly touched upon in the opening narrative. In a self-fulfilling prophecy, Julius spent his entire life becoming the man he was intended to be, and that meant working out, eating right, studying philosophy, reading literature and unraveling the mysteries of science. He never had a job, a wife, or a family, and he was free to think uninhibited by the normal stresses of life.

Vincent, on the other hand, grew up with little time to examine the fine arts, and all his days were spent simply surviving. In the end we learn it is not that Vincent lacks the talents or physique that Julius possesses. He is just talented in something entirely different — street smarts. This comedic element is apparent throughout the entire movie. Your professional life might be an illustration of the same point. You have the talent to succeed. You just do not have the time to make it happen in one particular area.

Your interests lay elsewhere

Where are you trying to succeed, and how interested are you in getting to the point that it is considered a success in this particular endeavor? If you are not successful in the near future, then invariably you will succumb to the notion that you do not have the natural-born talent required. No one expects that it should take painstaking hard work, and an entire life dedicated to the craft. With the advent of TV and now the Internet, amazing achievements can be summed up in 10 or 30 second spots. Everything looks easy, and all is attainable.

There is a tendency to ignore the common knowledge and advice from those who are currently successful in most professions. Their story is the same. It takes an entire lifetime to achieve greatness, including sacrifice. (I will get to that in a moment.) Consider even those individuals who are the most notable prodigies. Claude Monet and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart spent every waking hour dedicated to art and music respectively. Chess player Bobbie Fischer played chess since he was age six. Tiger Woods has been playing golf since age three.

The truth is that your interests probably lay elsewhere. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but we treat it that way. In my field, programming, there is a belief that the most talented individuals make up only ten percent of the workforce, and complete ninety percent of the “real” work. The rest of us are dead weight, incompetent, and just along for the ride. No one stops to consider that not everyone loves to be on a computer all day, and then be on a computer all night and on weekends as well.

People like to spend more time with family and friends, and invest personally in other hobbies or interests. I used to believe that not everyone was cut out for such a competitive field, and that those experiencing trouble with advancement had hit an intellectual ceiling. After observing others in my profession over the last ten years, I am beginning to see that my focus was misplaced. Because I was so absorbed in what I do, I could not look past my situation, understanding that it was not my DNA that predisposed me to programming, but the fact that I spent so much time doing it.

Looking around, I see a lot of very intelligent and competent programmers who are satisfied with going into work at 9am and punching out at 5pm. If they wanted to, they could invest more time, be on call, seek out a management position, and take on overtime, but they choose something else entirely. Yet, they are branded as an undedicated waste of space for presuming they could do such a thing in such a field. Yet, people do it every day, in every field, and live happy and healthy lives.

You have to make a sacrifice

The trouble with having to dedicate time to an endeavor that you are interested in, is that you have to make a sacrifice. However, the majority of people who do have the drive, fail to eliminate activities from their schedule, instead trying to stretch out the week. Given enough repetition, this will result in total burnout, which is another enemy of talent. As much as we would like to believe we have limitless supplies of energy, the body must rest in order to rest the mind.

Seasoned writers tell authors-in-waiting the same thing. You have to instead make the time. Writers who claim they do not have the time of day will never write a novel. Of course they do not have the time, because they have given it all away. This is a difficult concept to come to grips with, especially in America, where ownership rights are a sense of pride. We want to amass a great deal of things, all of which steal our time and steal our energy. I think about that every time I want to write something.

Almost every success story will result in some tale about the sacrifices made to achieve a level of talent previously unknown to man. The greatest human beings throughout history all share that common biographical element. While on the surface we take it for granted, it was not just happenstance, or biology, but dedication and sacrifice. A strong interest was gained and held for a long period of time, and the result was generations in awe.

No one would argue that it takes more time and more sacrifice for some more than others. However, that does not negate the fact that two very different individuals can be considered successful in the same profession. Consider for a moment the Poker greats, Puggy Pearson and Stu Ungar.

Pearson and Ungar are heralded as two of the most successful gamblers of all time. Pearson was dirt poor, grew up in a shack and joined the Navy at age sixteen. This is where he learned to gamble. Ungar’s father actually owned a bar that doubled as a gambling establishment, and this is where he learned to play cards. Ungar ended his career with five World Series of Poker bracelets and fifteen money finishes totaling an estimated $30 million. Pearson has four bracelets and seven money finishes, and has been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

What was it that made these two very different men so great at playing Poker? They gambled… all the time. Not only that, but they took high-stake’s risks… all the time. People looking from the outside in to the Poker tournaments fail to understand that the game not only involves strategy, but a great deal of pressure. How good can you play the game if you have never put up the cash, and lost? The psychology behind Poker is mind-numbing and nerve-wracking.

Caveat

I feel as if I should add a caveat to this post, but I have nothing to offer. Realistically, people are born with mental and physical disabilities that prohibit certain talents from evolving. Even in these situations though, I am reminded of the handicapped who have overcome tremendous odds in order to attain success. Do not take my word for it. Do the research, and understand the odds. Then take the time to achieve greatness.