October 2026 RING 129 – Presidential Column
Just What Is “IT”?
When 12-year-old Darci Lynn auditioned for America’s Got Talent, Simon Cowell told her, “When you’ve got it, you’ve got it!” She went on to receive a Golden Buzzer, which moved her directly to the finals for that year’s competition.
Darci had received a ventriloquist puppet when she was 10 years old and ended up appearing on America’s Got Talent just two years later.
So, what exactly is the “IT” that Simon Cowell was talking about?
To me, “IT” is an affinity toward a specific talent, skill, or ability with which people are born. In flamenco circles, they use the word duende, which means “a quality of passion and inspiration.”
Some people never discover their “IT” due to the circumstances of their life, the choices they make, or their particular mental state. This leads me to several questions regarding “IT.”
Does Everyone Have an “IT”?
I like to think we all do.
This is why it is so important to allow our children to try many different areas—sports, music, academics, volunteerism, and other activities—to see the areas in which they excel. The earlier these areas can be identified, the better the chance of their success.
However, not all kids find something they are passionate about early in life. In fact, most go through their school years and then decide whether they want to attend college, a trade school, or simply enter the workforce at whatever job they can get.
Does this mean that they did not have an “IT”? Not necessarily.
Has a master plumber found their “IT,” or did they simply work very hard at their job? Could hard work itself be their “IT,” regardless of the job?
Let’s be honest: We would all be in big trouble if there weren’t people who enjoyed being plumbers, electricians, automobile technicians, funeral home directors, and so many other professions.
Some people want to own a home and have a family, and their job or profession is simply a means to achieve that end. Their “IT” is a happy domestic life raising their children.
So, I believe we all have an “IT,” but not all of them are glamorous.
Can a Person Have More Than One “IT”?
Returning to Darci Lynn, her skill at ventriloquism is amazing, with Terry Fator calling her “one of the most unbelievable, perfect ventriloquists I’ve ever seen.”
But she also has an amazing singing voice. Her peers say that her voice is so good that she doesn’t need the puppets to be successful.
Does this mean that she has more than one “IT”?
One of our own members is a very accomplished performer and is well respected in the magic community as such. He is also well respected as a collector of magic apparatus and is building a personal magic museum.
Does he have more than one “IT” in the world of the magic arts?
Personally, I believe it is possible that a person can have more than one “IT.”
Harlen Tarbell was a medical doctor, yet he was also a very skilled magician and wrote one of the most essential works in our art, The Tarbell Course in Magic.
We all know people who are multi-talented.
From what I have seen, one talent, skill, or ability will often overshadow the rest, rendering the others more as a hobby or pleasant distraction.
Darci Lynn apparently being an exception…
How Do I Find My “IT”?
Start by taking an honest look at yourself.
What drives you?
What do you do in your spare time when you have no obligations?
What is your one overarching dream for your life, and why are you not pursuing that dream?
Next, step out into life and try different experiences.
Pick up a musical instrument and see if you enjoy learning to play. Try a cooking class. Go to museum and library lectures. Read about subjects that you’ve never studied before.
You never know when something is going to resonate with you.
Finding, Developing, and Living Your “IT”
Most of us are living our personal “ITs” and may or may not know it.
Most “ITs” are not glamorous, but they are usually personally fulfilling.
If you are happy with your current life and the path that you are on, likely you are living within your personal “IT.”
Finding your “IT” is the challenge.
Developing your “IT” is the journey.
Living your “IT” is the goal.
By Kelly Rusk
IBM Ring 129 President