Incredible at one or pretty good at all?

by John Fletcher

After graduating from Paschal High School, my family and I moved to Cleburne, just 30 miles south of Fort Worth. I attended TCU on a tennis scholarship and then moved to Cleburne after graduation, where my first real job was as a sales representative at KCLE Radio, the AM station that my family owned and operated.

There I met the young man who may be the greatest athlete I have ever personally known, and he taught me one of the most powerful lessons in life. His name is Steve Riza.

Steve was 11 years younger than me but he was an incredible tennis player. When I was 26 and still on my game, he was this fearless tennis player that could go for all kinds of wild shots. Even at 15, he usually made them.

As a tennis player Steve won the Texas State High School Championship and then won the NCAA Division 2 Championship at Stephen F. Austin University. He and his doubles partner Jack Sheehy were #1 in the Men’s OPEN Division in Texas. He was that good.

But Steve Riza had a curse. He was too good at everything. He was the ultimate natural athlete. He was a scratch golfer, frequently shooting below par. He was the starting shortstop on Cleburne’s high school baseball team and even pitched on occasion, all during tennis season.

Steve Riza never became all-world at anything because he was so darned good at everything. Yes, that was his curse.

That is the lesson that I learned as I observed him compete in every sport imaginable and excel. Being good but not world-class will hold you back from a promising future.

As you take your first steps into 2011, ask yourself these questions:

1. What one core excellence have I chosen to focus on and what kind of potential does it hold for me? Nobody should focus on a “core competency”… in today’s competitive environment, you must be excellent at something!

2. Does this focus have a long-term future or why does it attract me? Just because something is fun or enjoyable doesn’t mean that it holds promise. It could simply be a distraction.

3. What unique skills do I possess that others seem to recognize and appreciate, yet nobody else appears to have them?

4. What product or service do I (or my company) offer that can distinguish me from competitors? If the product or service is a commodity, what can I do to raise the level of the experience when people buy it from me?

Answer these questions to determine the direction that you will follow in 2011 and beyond. Cherchez le creneau. When Jack Trout and Jack Ries wrote the book Positioning, they quoted this French statement. Translated it means “Search for the hole.” Find the niche. Identify what nobody else is doing.

Don’t get me wrong, I admire Steve Riza and all that he has achieved and will continue to accomplish. He has taught me a far greater lesson: Discover your unique talent (and if you have many, focus on the most promising, even if it is the least fun) and then become amazing at it!

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John Fletcher does business the right way. He's been recognized nationally by the Better Business Bureau for ethical business practices and shaping his local community. Fletcher is resourceful. 36 years of client innovation has formed within him a virtual encyclopedia of assets. While he may not have "seen it all," he has seen a significant amount of unusual business and marketing challenges. For more information see: Who Is Fletcher?