Why Talent Doesn't matter

Let's explore something together here. Does natural talent matter? Should you find something that you're good at and pursue that, or can you truly get great at anything?

At 30,000 feet, I think my thoughts on this are clear: you develop a passion and you develop skills. You can get good at anything you set your mind to.

But intuitively, I think you all know that "natural" talent plays some role. The question is how much?

This is advanced class stuff, but here's how I see the issue...

Hard work beats natural talent, but genetic advantages have some influence over how easy it will be for you to win, and while I hate to admit it, in certain disciplines that rely heavily on physical structures (body or brain), your natural gifts may play a role in the upper bounds of your success.

Said another way, if you're Muggsy Bogues (look him up), good luck posting better career stats on offense than Lebron James. It doesn't mean just because you're 5'3" that you can't play in the NBA (it doesn't even mean you can't play for an astonishing 14 years), but looking at lifetime stats across the entire life of the NBA, it does make you the exception rather than the rule.

Now, why does this matter? Depending on what you want to do in your life, it may not.

But if you're looking to become the greatest of all time, it's going to be a factor. Man, this is going to get complicated, but let me see how close I can get...

I have a friend who is one of the smartest people I've ever met. A true polymath. And he's lived one of the most bizarre lives I can imagine. He's pursued with PASSION and HIGH intent both things he displayed a natural penchant for as a child and things that he showed absolutely no natural talent for.

He makes his living as a tax accountant and money manager. That makes sense. He's always been extraordinarily good at math. And his wins in this arena have come relatively easy. He's worked his ass off to be sure, but he gets a return on the energy that he puts in.

Now, he's also a competitive hip-hop dancer. You read that right. And he didn't even start dancing till he was almost 40. You read that right as well. Total madness.

I remember when he told me he was going to take up dance. I thought "of course you are." This guy follows his heart. Full stop. He doesn't do anything for money or glory. He does everything for the passionate pursuit of things that bring him joy.

But here's the truth: he's a better money manager than dancer. But here's the fascinating part: he's built a pretty interesting dance style by developing one that works around his atypical dancer's build.

Now, if I'm honest, I think that if he applied all of his energy to money management, he could be one of the ALL-TIME greats. And I don't think he'll ever be one of the all-time great dancers.

But—and here's my punchline—since picking up dance he's gotten very impressive. And while I think he'll always lag behind the "naturals" who work just as hard as him, he fucking LOVES dancing. Loooooooves it.

Because he is pursuing mastery and using dance to connect with people it is one of the greatest joys in his life. Listening to him even talk about dance is entrancing.

That's why I say, do NOT worry about natural talent; focus on developing a passion and then filling your life with the joy of pursuing that passion.

Whether you're Muggsy Bogues and playing in the NBA showing the world how much is possible, or Lebron James dominating the NBA and fighting for the title of the greatest of all time, what really matters is how far you're pushing your abilities and serving your goals and how much fulfillment and passion you experience along the way.

Given the trajectory of my own life, I'm a big believer that you can become extraordinary in anything you set your mind to. I have zero natural talent for business. Finance freaks me out. I'm lazy by nature. I HATE selling, and on and on.

But I love people. I'm way enthusiastic and when I care, I'm willing to work my ass off.

So I'm not trying to be the next Warren Buffet (too much finance). And it's no surprise that my success is tied directly to the rise of social media (it rewards people that like to serve and connect).

So I've both leveraged my strengths and shored up my weaknesses. If I had just focused on my weaknesses or just focused on my strengths, I never would have gotten where I am now.

So, my advice, as always, is this: let the goals that you have a deep passion for lead the way. If that means getting into the NBA despite being 5'3" or picking up dance when you're pushing 40, get after it.

Life, after all, is about experiencing deep and lasting fulfillment. It's not about money or success. But, if no BS, you want to absolutely dominate the competition, you'll need to find a way to tap into your strengths too.

Wow... this topic is worth a book unto itself. I'm curious to know your take on this article.

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