One of the most famous sci-fi writers of all time, Ray Bradbury, was once asked how much money he made at the beginning of his career.
This was his response...
Year 1 - $0
Year 2 - $0
Year 3 - $10
Year 4 - $40
Year 5 - $80
Year 6 - $200
Year 7 - $800
Year 8 - $1,200
Year 9 - $2,000
Year 10 - $4,000
Year 11 - $8,000
$8,000 dollars then is $100,000 today.
This means it took Bradbury 10 years after setting out to become a professional writer to actually become one (and make a $50,000 salary).
While these numbers may sound brutal, they reflect reality. At least the typical reality for almost anyone capitalizing on a skill whether it be a creator, an innovator, an artist, or an entrepreneur.
Origin stories of top performers that don't reflect this reality typically share one of three commonalities:
The person had beginner’s luck, or
The story leaves out "hidden years" where the person toiled in the dark, or
The person already had adjacent skills, which gave them a head start
Individual Takeaway
Cultivating inf…
