We’ve all seen it before.  The newest star seems to magically come out of nowhere and burst onto the scene as an ‘overnight success’.  It is a dream that many of us share but it sadly isn’t reality.  Don’t believe the hype!

Most times the singer that wins a TV singing competition has spent many years as a backup singer or lounge singer.   Before you can land comedy special, you must spend time working on your craft at open mic shows.  Then spend years on the road as a headlining comedian until you big break ultimately comes(if ever).  Same goes for athletes, dancers, chef’s, etc.

I learned this lesson when I started performing stand-up comedy over 10 years ago.  I thought I would get on stage and rock the world.  They would see that I secretly had some magic, never before seen talent which would lead to my big break.  The plan was simple, I would perform a show, be seen by an agent, and then appear on The Tonight Show the very next night.  There was no need for me to put any extra energy into my current job, because I was destined for stardom.  Before long I came to accept that reality was much different.

I’m not saying that it is a waste of time to dream big.  I’m saying that it is a waste of time if you aren’t willing to put in the time and work that it takes.  The reality is that you won’t pick up the mic one day and catapult to the top.  If you put in the effort and time to master your craft, success will come.  It’s the daily grind and persistence that ultimately gets you to your dreams.

Never stop believing in yourself!  Talk to you soon. 🙂

-Dan Sims