Most of the time when we talk about successful people or when someone does a great thing, we instantly link them with the word “talented”.
We think that every successful person is talented. Every person who does very well in his career is talented. Let’s take a short and quick journey together and see for yourselves why “talent” might not be what you think it is.
What is “Talent”?
Before we start talking about talent and comparing it, let’s see what we consider a talent, and what the dictionaries say.
I think it’s fair enough to say that most people will call anyone who is successful or good at something, talented. No matter how much effort he puts into it, and how long it took him to be there, we’ll always call them “talented”. People love to call successful people “lucky” or “talented”. Maybe because those two things are given naturally and it’s a reason for them not to take action.
“I just don’t have their luck/talent”
“Only if I had what they have”
And the list of excuses can go on and on.
Now let’s take a look at the definition of “Talent” based on the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries.
Based on the Oxford Dictionary, talent is 1) a natural ability to do something well / 2) people or a person with a natural ability to do something well.
The Cambridge Dictionary has a similar definition, (someone who has) a natural ability to be good at something, especially without being taught.
As you have read, both dictionaries agree that talent is doing something well, naturally. The Cambridge Dictionary adds “without being taught” on top of that. So if someone has a naturally great voice, can draw very well without being taught, or has other similar abilities, these will be considered talents based on the definitions above.
Now that we all have common ground here (hopefully 🙄), let’s move forward with our short journey.
How I Look at Talents (My Personal View)
For me, talent is nothing but a headstart. Imagine playing a game, or a race where you start at 20% of the track. You’ll be ahead of everyone else since they are starting from the beginning. If you take that 20% for granted, you’ll end up being where you are for the rest of your life. People who don’t have a talent in that area, are those who are starting from the beginning of the race. Once they start learning and experiencing, they will reach that 20%. A while later, they might be at the half of the track where the talented stopped at 20%. Think about it like the good ol’ rabbit & turtle story. The rabbit took his speed for granted and the turtle did his best and won in the end.
Talent is like a sharp knife, when you have it, it can cut through any surface. If you keep using the knife without sharpening it day after day, it will end up being a rusty dull knife that won’t even cut through thin paper.
Talent vs. Skill
Now we know what talent is and what privileges it has. Let’s talk about skills and how they compare to talents.
Based on the Oxford Dictionary, a skill is 1) the ability to do something well / 2) a particular ability or type of ability.
So, they have the same definition as talent, right? Well, very close! They are both about having the ability to do something well. However, skill is something you learn whereas talent is something you get naturally.
If you have a talent, then it means you’re naturally skilled in doing something very well.
Which one is more important or powerful?
They are both equally powerful and important. Both of them rely on one thing, the momentum of learning and sharpening your skills. Once you stop learning or improving your abilities, then your talent will be wasted. Having a talent is a great responsibility, it’s a gift that was given to you for a reason. Please work on it, improve it, utilize it in the best ways possible, and even share your experience if you can!
Do Talented People Have More Chances to Succeed?
Simply, no. I’m gonna keep it short and straightforward, no! As we have seen many talented people succeed in their careers, many times we have seen very great talents wasted. We all have heard stories about successful people who didn’t have the talent, but they put in the hard work, time, and patience until they got where they wanted to go.
The only ones who have more chances to succeed are those who put in the effort and stand up after every failure without giving up. Then, only then, the chances will be high. Talent will not add “more chances” to your success, it will actually multiply your chances. How? Well, it will multiply your efforts. If you have the talent and effort, your chances will be very high. But if you don’t put in any effort, just zero effort, then no matter how great your talent or skill is, as long as you multiply it by zero (effort), the results will always be zero.
Summary
I didn’t write this to say talent isn’t a good thing or that skills are more important. I wrote this for those who have the talent and beg them not to waste it or take it for granted. Also, for those who don’t have the talent, I wanted to tell them that not having it is not an excuse for giving up. You can always learn and sharpen your skills until you finally succeed. Think about talent as a faster way to learn the skills you desire. Not having a talent doesn’t mean you can’t learn that skill, it means that you just need to put in more effort. If you’re dedicated, then you’ll definitely get there. Nothing isn’t learnable. You can learn anything you want, anytime you can.
To keep it short, don’t stop learning, don’t stop improving yourself, and most importantly, put those talents and skills into action!