Being there

Woody Allen once said that "Eighty percent of success is showing up."

You know, the most simple truth about success is this: just keep your promises.

When you watch a film like The Social Network, and you think about all these communications technologies and how the world is changing, you wonder what chance does anyone have of showing up, or keeping their promises, when cellphones ring all the time, and emails bombard us constantly, and instant messages interrupt us, etc. How does anyone stay focused in this modern era. You have to be strong, and you have to show technology who is in charge!

Yes, you may be an online wizard, and you may have your own stunning web site, and you have a zillion Facebook friends, but one question will always be fundamental: Have you done your 10,000 hours?

I often get calls on my cellphone from people trying to sell me stuff. We all do. One week it is insurance, the next week it is some high-tech online service, and then it is the cellphone company, trying to get me to try out some new package they are promoting, and so on. We got to get these callers off the line, and fast! When you are youngster though, wasting time is pretty much the norm. An 18 year old getting calls about insurance and banking services makes for lengthy distractions. Ask a high school graduate why they spoke on the phone to that stranger for so long and they will tell you they didn't want to be rude. Or they will tell you that they were curious. You got to love the curious, and the clueless.

Yes, to succeed in life you have to be there. Wherever that is. But, one thing is for sure, you won't be able to keep your promises, and you certainly won't be able to show up, if you don't get on top of all these high-tech distractions. The Internet, mobile technology, the Web ... these are all fantastic, but don't let them be a handbrake.

Posted by Ronnie Apteker