How to Find Your Talent | Tom Bilyeu | Goalcast

Goalcast

26 Sept 201703:29

Summary

TLDRIn this motivational speech, Tom Bylieu shares his journey from feeling like a failure and trapped in a cycle of obesity to embracing a growth mindset. He emphasizes the importance of taking action, no matter how imperfect, to break free from the constraints of self-doubt and inaction. Bylieu encourages listeners to start today, to try, fail, and learn, advocating that doing something is infinitely more valuable than endless contemplation. His message is a call to arms for those who aspire to change their lives but are held back by fear or uncertainty.

Takeaways

😔 Self-Doubt: The speaker initially felt like a failure, believing they were not talented and trapped in their circumstances.
🏋️‍♂️ Weight Struggle: Growing up in an obese family, the speaker struggled with their own weight and the desire to escape that fate.
🌊 Feeling Adrift: The speaker described a sense of being lost at sea, without a clear path to success or change.
🔒 Perception of Imprisonment: Feeling trapped by their perceived lack of talent and the inability to change their situation.
🤔 Realization of Mediocrity: The realization that they were not naturally talented led to a search for a new mindset.
💡 Growth Mindset: Embracing the idea that hard work and practice can lead to improvement in any field.
🏃‍♂️ Taking Action: The speaker emphasizes the importance of doing something today, rather than waiting for the perfect moment.
🚀 Starting Now: Encouragement to start projects or businesses immediately, as learning comes from doing.
🧠 Learning Through Action: The speaker argues that more is learned by trying and potentially failing than by endless contemplation.
🛤️ Moving Forward: The importance of taking steps, even if they are in the wrong direction, rather than remaining stagnant.
💪 Willingness to Suffer: The speaker suggests a willingness to endure hardship in the pursuit of excellence.
🔄 Failure as a Stepping Stone: Accepting that failure is part of the process and using it as a means to learn and grow.
🔮 Vision Over Perfection: Discarding the idea of ending the day with a perfect record in favor of taking action regardless.
🤝 Personal Transformation: Asking 'Who do you want to become?' and being prepared to pay the price for that transformation.
🚫 Rejecting Inaction: Disputing the notion of waiting until everything is figured out, advocating for immediate action.

Q & A

What was Tom Bylieu's initial self-perception?
-Tom Bylieu initially perceived himself as stupid and not talented, and he felt like a total and abject failure.
Why did Tom Bylieu feel like he was trapped in a cycle of obesity?
-He grew up in a morbidly obese family and felt like he couldn't escape that fate due to a lack of a clear plan or way to change his situation.
How did Tom Bylieu describe his sense of directionlessness?
-He used the metaphor of being adrift at sea, not knowing how to get back to shore, to describe his sense of directionlessness.
What realization did Tom Bylieu have about his talent that led to a change in mindset?
-He realized that he wasn't talented, which forced him to look for a new mindset to escape depression and take control of his life.
What does Tom Bylieu suggest is the key to overcoming the feeling of being at the mercy of others?
-He suggests taking control of one's resources and developing a growth mindset as the key to overcoming the feeling of being at the mercy of others.
How did Tom Bylieu redefine his approach to self-improvement?
-He started to believe in the power of hard work and practice, aiming to become so good at something that people couldn't ignore him.
What action does Tom Bylieu urge people to take immediately?
-He urges people to stop watching videos and start taking action right now, by doing something towards their passion or goal.
What does Tom Bylieu believe about the relationship between action and learning?
-He believes that action is the only way to learn and that trying and doing are infinitely more effective than just thinking or watching.
How does Tom Bylieu view the process of starting a business?
-He encourages starting a business immediately, by actually building the product, as the process of creation teaches more than any amount of planning or preparation.
What is Tom Bylieu's stance on the idea of waiting for perfection before taking action?
-He dismisses the idea of waiting for perfection, advocating for taking action despite imperfections and the possibility of failure.
What question should one ask themselves according to Tom Bylieu to stay focused on personal growth?
-He suggests asking 'Who do you want to become?' and being willing to pay the price to get there, rather than focusing on current limitations.

Outlines

00:00

🚫 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing a Growth Mindset

Tom Bylieu shares his personal struggle with feelings of inadequacy and failure, stemming from his upbringing in an obese family and his own weight issues. He describes the moment he realized he needed to change his mindset to escape depression and take control of his life. Bylieu emphasizes the importance of developing a growth mindset, believing in the power of hard work to improve at anything. He encourages the audience to stop seeking the least amount of effort and instead push their limits, to practice and strive for excellence. Bylieu's message is a call to action, urging individuals to stop waiting for the perfect moment and to start making moves towards their goals today, regardless of their circumstances.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Failure

Failure is a state or instance of not achieving the desired outcome or falling short of a goal. In the video's context, the speaker initially sees himself as a 'total and abject failure,' which is a pivotal moment that leads to a deep self-reflection and the development of a growth mindset. The speaker uses his perception of failure as a catalyst for change, emphasizing the importance of taking action despite the fear of failure.

💡Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. The speaker mentions developing a growth mindset as a critical step in overcoming his self-perceived lack of talent and failure. It is the foundation for his transformation and the central theme of taking control of one's life through effort and persistence.

💡Talent

Talent refers to a natural aptitude or skill in a particular area. The speaker initially believes he lacks talent, which contributes to his feelings of failure. However, he later challenges this notion by adopting a growth mindset, suggesting that hard work can compensate for perceived lack of talent and lead to mastery.

💡Depression

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense of well-being. The speaker mentions being forced to look for a new mindset to escape depression, indicating that his negative self-perception and lack of control over his life led to these feelings. His journey towards a growth mindset is also a way to overcome depression.

💡Control

Control refers to the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events. The speaker expresses a desire to take control of his life and resources, moving away from a victim mentality where he feels at the mercy of others. This desire for control is a driving force behind his call to action and the development of a growth mindset.

💡Action

Action is the process of doing something rather than merely thinking or talking about it. The speaker repeatedly emphasizes the importance of taking action, stating that it is the only way to learn, grow, and achieve goals. He encourages the audience to 'get out there and do something,' highlighting action as the essential step in the process of personal development and success.

💡Passion

Passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion that is expressed with enthusiasm and intensity. The speaker mentions that if one already has a passion, they are ahead of many others. He encourages those who know their passion to act on it and those who do not to find it through action, underscoring passion as a powerful motivator for taking the initiative.

💡Practice

Practice is the act of performing an activity or set of activities repeatedly in order to improve one's skill. The speaker believes that by practicing and putting in the effort, one can become better at anything. He uses the term 'reps' to illustrate the need for repetition and continuous effort in honing one's abilities.

💡Effort

Effort is the exertion of physical or mental energy to achieve a goal. The speaker talks about the necessity of putting in effort and being willing to 'break oneself in half' to achieve excellence. Effort is portrayed as a key component of the growth mindset and a prerequisite for success.

💡Vision

Vision refers to the ability to think about or plan the future with the imagination or wisdom. The speaker mentions that taking action is crucial regardless of how chaotic one's vision or life may be. He suggests that having a clear vision is not a prerequisite for action, rather, action itself can help clarify and shape one's vision.

💡Quantification

Quantification is the process of measuring or expressing in numerical terms. In the video, the speaker contrasts quantification with action, stating that 'a hundred hours of quantification' is less valuable than taking one step. He uses this term to illustrate the futility of overthinking and the importance of taking concrete steps towards one's goals.

Highlights

I believe that I was stupid and not talented, and I felt like a total and abject failure.

I used to be sixty pounds (~28 kgs) heavier.

I grew up in a morbidly obese family.

I really wanted to escape that fate but I couldn't see any way to do it.

All that I had was a crushing sense of being adrift at sea, not knowing how to get back to shore.

I could see the failure, I could see that I had no plan, that I no longer knew how I was going to get where I wanted to go.

I didn't believe that those were things I could change about myself. They felt like a prison sentence, or if I am honest, it felt like a death sentence.

Coming to the realization that I wasn't talented really forced me to look for a new mindset.

I wanted to take control, and I was going to have to take control of the resources.

I needed to find another way to think about myself, talent, and literally everything.

I began to develop a growth mindset. I needed to believe that, by working really hard, I could get better at anything.

If that were true, then I just needed to buckle down, practice, get good, do the reps, put in the effort, and be willing to break myself in half to get so good that people couldn't ignore me.

You need to get out there and do something right now, today.

If you already have a passion, you are so much farther ahead than the vast majority of humankind.

If you don't know what your passion is, act! It's the only way you are going to find out.

Go try things; it is in the process of action that you are going to learn.

If you've been thinking about starting a business, start it right now. Today.

You will learn infinitely more in the process of trying to create and make it real than by watching videos, thinking, meditating, or taking notes.

One step is better than a hundred hours of thinking.

Running a hundred miles in the wrong direction is better than standing still. You'll learn something.

Get rid of the notion that you are going to end the day with a perfect record.

You're going to fail, mess up, and try a thousand things, and 999 of them are not going to work.

Ask yourself, 'Who do you want to become?' and are you willing to pay the price to get there.

Act right now, today, no matter how chaotic your vision or life is.

Take action today or you never will.