The '10 Things That Require Zero Talent' Article is a Misconception

A while back I came across an article titled, 10 Things That Require Zero Talent, which I'm sure you've read if you're relatively active on any platform of social media (especially LinkedIn; LinkedIn users love this article). However, if you're one of the rare cases that have yet to read the blog post, the list goes as follows:

1. Being on time
2. Work ethic
3. Effort
4. Body language
5. Energy (motivation)
6. Attitude
7. Passion
8. Being coachable
9. Doing extra
10. Being prepared

At first glance, this list seems to be relatively simple in the sense that these skills don't require a proper education to achieve. However, these are skills, and they do require talent to master. After thinking more critically about this list, I came across another article from Time Magazine that I couldn't agree more with. The author of the article titled, '10 Things That Require Zero Talent' Is a Total Myth, Tom Gimbel, hit the nail on the head.

If these skills were easy to learn, why wouldn't sheer 'will' allow any up-and-comer to simply 'be' these things and become an instant success? Just as Mr. Gimbel explains, the reason is that these skills come from a melting pot of nature, nurture, psychology, current environments, and perspective. The truth of the matter is that finding a professional complete with this list of characteristics isn't easy to come by (in fact, it's extremely rare).

I don't want to lead anyone astray with this analysis, as I am a person who strongly believes in will. I have 'willed' myself through both personal and professional storms that would have most ready to throw in the towel. Will alone can get you somewhere, but not anywhere.

When someone asks for my professional advice, I always find myself feeling like I'm selling them short. We are all unique and we each have something inherently special in our own way. My 'special way' was made for business and achievement (some may say to a fault). Knowing this about myself, I understand there is only so much I can teach others. That unexplainable 'thing' has to be present in order to allow much of the "10 Things" to sustainably transpire.

The way the list is presented, you may forget that 'being on time' and 'being prepared' is truly all about your time management skills and the ability to plan; or that having appropriate body language comes down to how good of a communicator you are. The ability to prioritize your daily tasks and effectively communicate doesn't always come naturally. These skills require talent, practice, and oftentimes a unique psychological makeup to fully grasp.

Another point Tom makes in the article is the massive need for empathy to be successful in any professional organization (or in my opinion, to be successful in life—especially in maintaining healthy relationships). The need for empathy especially resonates with my company, Go By Truck, as I am constantly reminding my team to be empathetic to our customers' situations in order to consistently provide superior service. I truly believe in the value and necessity of service to one another. In my opinion, anyone who cannot disconnect from their own concerns and slip on someone else's shoes for a moment, has no chance to be of service, and no business being in the service industry.

As a company that has no tangible product to sell, our ability to create and maintain healthy and honest relationships with both our shippers and carriers is vital to our success; which ultimately comes down to my team's ability to empathize and serve.

Although important to see the criticality of the things on this list, it's also important to understand that they (just like any other skill) take practice, determination, and in some cases, science to master. While the "10 Things" article itself is misleading, I believe the spirit of which the article was written is sound. We should all constantly strive to be better. When we decide that we're as good as we'll get, we become just that. When we realize that doing better and being better is achievable, we try. As the saying goes, shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars.

You can learn more about my company at www.GoByTruck.com.