Talent is great. Talent can open the door. Talent can also get you to the top. But talent is NEVER enough.

In 2006, a statement rocked my world. The statement was, “Talent can get you places that your character cannot sustain you.” Growing up as an athlete, this statement went against everything I believed to be true- that my natural, God given talent would take me wherever I needed to go!

How many times have you relied on your talent as being enough? How many times have we seen that talent actually is NEVER enough in our families, jobs and media. Just think, the tabloids would never exist if people didn’t have “character” issues.

I think as leaders, we cannot rely solely on our ability to speak, persuade, and come up with great ideas as being good enough. Now more than ever, the world is looking for leaders who have integrity. What will set you apart? What will be the “it” factor when its time to make a decision about whether to hire, replace or promote you? Now more than ever, the world is filled with lots of talent, but what will set you apart?

Choose to add value to you talent by making key choices to having and doing these 13 things! These are the chapters in one of my favorite books, by John Maxwell, “Talent is NEVER enough.”

1. Belief lifts your talents
2. Passion energizes your talent
3. Initiative activates your talent
4. Focus directs your talent
5. Preparation positions your talent
6. Practice sharpens your talent
7. Perseverance sustains your talent
8. Courage test your talent
9. Teachability expands your talent
10. Character protects your talent
11. Relationships influence your talent
12. Responsibility strengthens your talent
13. Teamwork multiplies your talent.

I’ll leave you with this, “ If your character is not up to par with your talent you can be replaced by someone who can be trained”