You’ve probably heard some version of the following:
- “Ninety percent of being a parent is showing up.”
- “You don’t have to do much to be a good chaplain, but you do have to be there.”
- “Effort requires no talent.”
Woody Allen has a famously similar line:
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”
It’s not a new idea—and it’s not a complicated one. Most of us can show up. Showing up isn’t a rare talent. You don’t have to be the Steph Curry of your field to walk through the door. No special gifting is required.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
The Myth of “Quality Over Quantity”
We make excuses: “It’s not the quantity of time, it’s the quality of time.”
There’s truth there. If you always do something poorly, you probably won’t get much better at it.
But here’s what I believe is the reality: do something often enough, and you generally do get better. Repetition has a way of teaching us, even if we’re not being coached.
Swimming may be an exception—people say you can’t progress far without proper coaching. That’s why I’m pretty sure I will never do a triathlon. I have no desire to hunt down a swim coach to fix me. But most skills aren’t like swimming.
My Experience: Progress Through Persistence
I went from a non‑runner to a runner simply by showing up. No coach. No deep strategy. Just lacing up and going.
Would I improve with coaching? Sure. But the majority of my progress—coached or not—has come from the simple discipline of showing up. Being present is something anyone, regardless of talent level, can do.
Same with mountain biking. I started as a complete beginner and became a capable rider over five years by doing one thing consistently: showing up. Skills came. Confidence came. Improvement came. Not because I’m gifted, but because I kept showing up.
Ninety percent really is showing up.
Being Present Is More Than Being Physically There
Showing up isn’t just physical presence.
Walk into any restaurant or coffee shop and you’ll see people who are technically “there” but are not actually present. They’re on their phones while sitting across from someone they care about.
Watch parents at a playground “watching” their kids.
Watch students in a classroom “attending” class while doing everything except engaging.
Bodies present. Minds elsewhere.
If they would simply show up fully, mentally and emotionally, magical things could happen.
The Power of Showing Up in What Matters Most
I believe this principle holds true in almost every area that matters to us.
- Want to be a great parent? Show up, and you’re 90% there.
- Want to be a great spouse, girlfriend, or boyfriend? Show up, and you’re 90% there.
- Want to be a great follower of Jesus? Show up, and you’re 90% there.
Of course, showing up requires no talent… which is exactly why it’s so hard.
It’s easier to avoid. Easier to disengage. Easier to hide behind distraction.
But the truth remains:
In most things, effort beats talent when talent doesn’t show up consistently.
And effort shows up every time you do. So show up!