The magnum opus is a Latin term that is defined that someone's greatest life achievement it is the highest intersection of talent skill and hard work when someone reaches their maximum potential at the exact right time in the exact right place for Michelangelo it was painting the Sistine Chapel for Einstein it was the theory of relativity for Lincoln Park it was a hybrid theory for JK Rowling it's Harry Potter for Leo Messi it's a record-breaking season whatever the medium your magnum opus is your life's greatest work and it will be your legacy long after you are gone sadly not many people get to achieve their magnum opus or even make an attempt. Most people spend the vast majority of their lives in a career that falls short of inspiration two-thirds of employees say they are genuinely dissatisfied with their jobs and one-fifth admit they actively hate their career everyone has a massive amount of potential whether it be an invention a painting, a song, a journey a book an idea you name it but very few get to flourish and reach for that potential when you're a young child you hold the belief that anything is possible no dream is too big so what happens between childhood and adulthood that crushes so many dreams why do so many settles is that the school system is it realistic expectations financial fear practicality.
A lack of belief the reason people don't attempt their magnum opus is because of doubt, doubt is the ultimate Crippler of ambition to believe in yourself you must have evidence to support this belief it's like a table your belief is the tabletop and the legs are experiences and evidence that support the belief doubt is like a woodpecker that ships away at the legs of the table when enough doubt creeps into your mind the table comes crashing down and you no longer believe in yourself the key is to reverse this process move toward beliefs that empower you then find role models experience stories and evidence to support the new empowering belief most importantly do not listen to the doubters. Doubters are cynical people who have never attempted what you are setting out to do buddha said we are what we think all that we are arises with our thoughts we make the world achieving your goal starts with the mental belief that it can be done attitude is far more important than IQ it may seem scary and unfamiliar for the path to your magnum opus is never easy.
You will have to be willing to take risks sacrifice and to go the extra mile at the end of this short life you want to look back and say I gave it my all I took a shot and left it all on the line this simple exercise can help you focus your energy and home in on your magnum opus journey write down things you love to do things you're good at and things people will pay you to do the intersection of these three categories is your sweet spot perhaps you can combine things from all three categories. The key to reaching your magnum opus is to find your sweet spot and take action so give yourself a year give yourself one year to pursue your magnum opus give yourself one year to take that trip to build that farm climb that mountain or start that business gives yourself one year to tune out fear and doubt be unreasonable to be impractical if people don't laugh at your dreams then your dreams are not big enough give yourself one year to follow your passion and leave your mark on the world fine your sweet spot the worst possible scenario is that you come right back to where you are now you owe it to yourself to take a chance want to reach your magnum opus then you should develop your problem-solving critical thinking and communication skills.