Where Does Talent Fit In?
So what does it take to succeed? Can anyone be successful? Where does talent fit in? Do you have what it takes?
A person’s natural abilities are overrated and frequently misunderstood. While talent is an undeniable advantage, it accomplishes nothing alone.
If talent is not paired with right decisions, it atrophies and will evaporate.
Everyone has an area of giftedness—something they do exceptionally well. Certainly, we should pinpoint our talents and refine them.
However, the pivotal choices you make in life—apart from the natural talent you possess—will set you apart from the masses of people trying to skate by on talent alone.
Here’s some things Dr John C Maxwell shares from Talent is Never Enough:
1—Everyone has talent
People have equal value, but not equal giftedness. Some people seem to be blessed with a multitude of talents. Most of us have fewer abilities.
Remember: All of us have something that we can do well!
In the book Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, PhD, state...
"Every person is capable of doing something better that the next ten thousand people"
And they support this assertion with solid research.
They call this area the strength zone, and they encourage everyone to find it and make the most of it. It doesn’t mater how aware you are of your abilities, how you feel about yourself, or whether you previously have achieved success.
You have talent, and you can develop that talent. Where does your talent fit in?
“Your talent determines what you can do. Motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it” ― Lou Holtz
2—Develop the talent you have, not the one you want
Why do most people spend the majority of their time focused on strengthening their weaknesses?
It’s obvious to most of us that the person that realizes her talent and develops it, will be more successful than the person who relies on talent alone.
One thing we can learn is to stop working on our weaknesses and start working on our strengths.
Where does your talent fit in?
"There is no substitute for hard work. If you're looking for the easy way, if you're looking for the trick, you might get by for a while, but you will not be developing the talents that lie within you. There is simply no substitute for work" — John Wooden, Coach
3—You can make choices, that will add value to your talent
So what creates the effectiveness that Peter Drucker says is necessary for converting talent into results?
It comes from the choices you make.
The key choices you make—apart from the natural talent you already have—will set you apart from others who have talent alone.
“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved” —William Jennings Bryan, Orator, attorney, and political leader
Come back next week as we look at what it takes to maximize your talent.