Talent or Skill?

Talent is something you’re born with. You have no choice about it. There is no effort.

Skill is something you earn. It’s something you choose to invest your time and energy in.

Talent comes as a birth lottery. Skill demands commitment, persistence, courage and discipline.

I’ve been a passionate advocate for leveraging innate talent. It’s your code to massive success. So, there is no doubt that encouraging people [kids and adults] to leverage their innate talent [Strengths] gives a major advantage.

BUT…

Simply counting on talent is lazy. Because talent is not earned. It’s given. Working on that talent is a skill.

I am not against promoting talent, but I am a big fan of commitment, persistence, resilience and drive.

Leaders / teachers talk about developing full potential, but in most cases, they take a lazy route to bet on raw talent. And this may not be the finest way forward.

Organizations don’t have time. They are in rush to produce great profits. Schools don’t have time. They have to manage maximum number of children with minimum number of teachers. Parents don’t have time. They have to get their kids in the best universities so that they end up in being employed for life at best organizations… The vicious cycle continues.

Skill development is a choice. A generous choice. And if it’s in-line with your innate talent… We are talking about legends now!