The single most often-asked question I get is “I want to become a ____________, so how do I get started?”

And, it’s a great question too . . . especially because it frequently has an easy answer.

Let me relate a story that Jeffrey Gitomer tells in his soon-to-be-a-classic little gem, Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude:

In 1960, at age 14, I met a college basketball coach on the court and asked him for his best, niftiest pointer.  He took the ball, walked under the basket, and shot an easy layup.

“See that shot?” he said gruffly.  “Ninety-nine percent of all basketball games are won with that shot.  Don’t miss it.”  And he walked away.  I felt cheated that day, but 20 years later, I realized it was the best business lesson I ever got.

Concentrate on the fundamentals.  Ninety-nine percent of all success is achieved that way.

You don’t need to be a professional ballplayer.  You just need to know how to shoot layups and not miss them.

So, there you go . . . hidden in that Gitomer story is also the answer to your question, beginning Dream Job Seeker.

Work on the basics . . . everyday.  Want to be a writer, for example?  Write every day.  Send stuff off to magazines, publishers, and websites.  Or start your own site or publish your own book.  But, keep writing.  Work on it, take classes, join a writing group, and read everything you can get your hands on.

And, work on those layups!

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