Talent is Hard Work
Wow, I just read this article called “The Nature of Talent” over at Freelance Switch and I couldn’t agree more with its author. I’ve been feeling and saying this for years about how people perceive talent. It’s a great article on the subject and I’ve added my two cents below.
Talent and creativity is not some magic fairy dust, it’s hard work. I’ve had many people over the years say “you’re talented” and I’m always gracious and accept their compliment, but in the back of my head I know talent was just a head start. What it really takes is years of hard work.
Talent is just the seed. If you don’t continue honing your talent it will never grow into a professional career. There are a few characteristics that people have that enable them to grow their talent to its fullest potential. I do agree that some people have a bigger seed of talent, but it’s really what you make of it.
Being a self-starter is a crucial part of cultivating your talent. If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing and your motivations aren’t pure, you won’t continue to refine your talent. I find it to be the single most important factor. With most of the creative things I do, I’d probably continue to do them even if I wasn’t being paid.
Having a thick skin is also important. The very nature of creating things opens you up to criticism, so embrace it and use it as a tool to get better. It’s probably why every college and school art class are nothing more then a feedback forum. I don’t remember doing much work in class, most of the time it was about figuring out ways to improve what was done for homework.
Well, I’d love to hear what you think on this subject, leave your comments below.
→ Joshua Blount @ September 11th, 2007 at 12:01 am
I totally agree with this. At times I wonder what makes me different from other people in my field, what I can offer that others can’t, and it is really hard to come up with anything, because about 90 percent of my “talent” or “abilities” were learned or built, sometimes while on the job!
Incredible.
→ KI @ September 11th, 2007 at 12:13 am
I agree.
Its like so many people I have talked to that watched “The Secret”. They walk away thinking you just have to think positive, and that’s it. When in reality it’s working hard and thinking positive.
→ Cori @ September 11th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
An important factor to have in cultivating talent is motivation. If you like drawing but you don’t have that drive to do it so you can maybe master it in the end, you’re going to stay where you are or maybe even lose the skills you have.
→ George @ September 14th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Well put.
When others see our quick and seemingly effortless results, it discounts the many years of effort that we put into learning our craft. The countless hours of trial and error, learning, and research, that lead us to being able to accomplish what we do. Call it talent if you wish, to me it’s determination and focus.
→ Misty Beier @ September 14th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I also agree with everyone here, but if you have the talent and the passion needed to make a career out of web design than it shouldn’t be hard work, right?
For me, I don’t think I have the talent, but I certainly have the passion for web design. So this means for me I do have to work hard and study what others have done. Much of the stuff I’ve learned so far is self-taught and just going out there and reading up on as much design sites, blogs, and online tutorials as I can, because I want my experience and skills to be better than just good.
→ Spencer Lavery @ October 1st, 2007 at 4:41 am
I couldn’t agree more.
At times though, the frustration has led to me being less than gracious and retorting the sentiments of your blog when somebody is kind enough to say “You’re talented” to me. Sometimes it just feels as though that statement shits all over the hard work I’ve put in.
→ Jerome Chadel @ October 4th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Talent is hard work.
But… some people have a bigger seed of talent.
So… some people have a bigger seed of hard work.
So what is to be talented at something? Just hard work?
What’s the difference between the top 10 tennis players? Do you think this is just hard work? Or Federer and Nadal are more “talented”?
With the same amount of work, people don’t get the same quality.
I think talent is not just hard work. It’s of course a great part of it. But there are probably some unexplained reasons that make the difference.
I agree with your discussion but not with your title.
Let me congratulate you with your site! Awesome and clear design.
I am redesigning mine and this not easy to get that level.
→ Rik Catlow @ October 10th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Yes Jerome, the title is somewhat of an eye catcher and not completely true. Yes, talent is a huge factor but in my experience it’s not what makes success. Hard work and dedication is what makes someone successful.
→ kim @ October 11th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Great article. Yours and the one at Freelance Switch. Working at agencies for almost 20 years, I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of skillful stylists that copy someone else’s technique just to get the job done. There are a lot of “talented copycats” out there.