The life lesson: your chances of success increase exponentially when you do what comes naturally! The successful woman: America’s beloved Rachael Ray.
“To me, success has always been being able to come home and make myself dinner, to know the bills are paid, that my family’s OK today, to have my dog and to eat good food,” says Ray. “That’s a successful day for me.”
Ray found a way (several ways, actually – her TV show, cookbooks, and magazine!) to do what comes naturally for her. That not only makes her a successful woman, it ensures that she’ll keep enjoying what she does. Here’s how Rachael Ray became so successful, and how you can apply her lessons and wisdom to your own life….and, click on Rachael Ray’s Big Orang Book for her ultimate collection of recipes!
Doing What Comes Naturally – Rachael Ray
“I think that’s probably the key to anyone’s happiness in life — just doing what comes naturally,” says Ray. “I don’t think you can choose whether you are successful in life when you’re talking about money or status, but I do think that you can choose if you’re successful in life if you define it by simply being happy.”
Even “naturals” need practice! Remember that no matter how natural you are at something – cooking, writing, throwing dinner parties, leading meetings, or running marathons – you still need practice. Rachael Ray didn’t become a gourmet chef and cookbook author overnight. She grew up working in restaurants, which gave her basic cooking and baking knowledge. Her mom worked as a restaurant manager, which taught Ray about the long hours and dedication a food career can demand.
Just because you’re a natural doesn’t mean you don’t need practice. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell writes that truly successful people practice their craft for 10,000 hours. Read 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women for inspirational tips!
Keep trying different things – and work hard. How do you know if you’re a natural at something? Keep trying new things until you hit it! Rachael Ray’s life lesson involves trying different things until you find what works. Successful women don’t try one thing and give up if it doesn’t work.
“Keep trying different things that you can envision yourself doing,” says Ray. “If you really love clothes, there’s nothing wrong with working in clothes. “Take any job. Don’t be a snob when it comes to work.” To be successful women- to soar - we have to work hard. This means showing up every day and giving it our best shot…even when we’re tired, bored, or scared.
To learn more about doing what comes naturally, read . And, feel free to share your thoughts on this life lesson – I’d love to hear from you!
My source of Rachael Ray’s info is Success for Women.com, Rachael Ray: Answering Opportunity’s Call.
Do you feel anxious or worried -- are your fears about work, family, relationships, or life in general holding you back? Consider trying a natural way to end feelings of anxiety and panic.
I have a question about doing what comes naturally. I know I want to be a full-time gardener, but I live where it snows at least 6 months of the year. How can I pursue a gardening career — which comes naturally to me — when I can’t get full-time work?
Adrianne With a Green Thumb
Hi Adrianne,
Great question — so many of us are in the exact same boat. Certain things come naturally to us…but we can’t do them because they don’t pay enough. Or at all.
I wanted to be a full-time writer, but knew I couldn’t support myself that way right away! So, I worked part-time while I wrote for magazines part-time…and eventually started earning enough and getting busy enough that I could quit my part-time office job and write full-time!
Can you get a job as a gardener in the summer, and work in a florist shop or greenhouse over the winter? Well, maybe not a greenhouse….but if you can find a way to do what comes naturally (what you love!) part-time, your part-time gardening job might become big enough to do full-time one day.
And, like Rachael Ray says, it’s hard work. Even if gardening comes naturally…it’ll still take motivation and discipline to make it your full-time job.
Good luck, and stay focused
Laurie
Laurie PK´s last blog post..How to Follow Your Heart to Fame and Fortune – J.K. Rowling