Irrevenant

Posted @ 08:09 AM on April 19, 2008

Yes and no. Certainly relying on natural talent to the exclusion of hard work is a sure recipe for failure, but there ARE genuinely people who have natural aptitudes in particular areas. When they DO put in the work they advance faster and reach greater heights, but if they don't put in the work, they get eclipsed by the average joe who does.

Ben

Posted @ 03:36 AM on April 20, 2008

Hey Irrevnant,

A study on performance (Google: "deliberate practice") found that people with "natural" talents don't exist. For example, a talented programmer didn't become that way without years of training. To become good at anything, it takes a lot of practice, and vigor to improve. That's how we based this article -- if anyone needed any study behind this article, which we mentioned in previous ones.

Xigga

Posted @ 10:02 PM on April 20, 2008

When you think about it, talent just means that you are able to do something without knowing how you came to acquire that ability.

I, for example, am able to figure how and why somethings works. Like looking at a car engine, and figuring out each part is for and what it does. I don't know how I acquired that ability, but I know others who are smarter than me can't do that. Now when I think about it sometimes, I feel that when I was young I wanted to know why things are as they are, and so I would observe carefully everything around me.

So you call something a talent when you don't know how you learned it. Just my thoughts...

Andrew

Posted @ 03:40 AM on April 21, 2008

Great stuff, Xigga. Thanks for your input. I think the curious mind can go a long way, because you're constantly seeking to learn new things. I guess that's another way of saying that you're always looking to improve (e.g. expanding your knowledge) -- definitely one of the best mindsets to have.