I am currently taking acting classes. People assume that you need talent to be good at acting. But is this actually the case? Let’s reflect on talent.
Talent Is Not What You Think
When people talk about talent, they often mention Roger Federer, saying he is very talented. They believe he was born with unique abilities that led to his success. But is this accurate?
Let’s analyze Roger Federer’s journey:
Roger grew up in a “normal” family. He started playing tennis at the age of three. This might be seen as inborn potential or talent. However, everything else was about consistency and skill-building: When Roger was eight years old, he joined the local tennis club, where he received support and encouragement. By the age of twelve, after achieving national success, he decided to dedicate his life to tennis. And the rest is history.
There is more than just talent. There is long-term dedication and consistency.
Talent Motivates
Talent can provide a head start. It makes learning new skills easier and can motivate you at the beginning of a learning journey. But that’s all. The rest is straightforward: a lot of hard work.
I am skilled in adult education. At the institute where I taught for several years, I had an overall rating of 5.7 out of 6, based on feedback from hundreds of students. But when I started, it was a disaster. No, I was a disaster. I had no idea what I was doing.
Yes, I had a talent for being entertaining, but not for teaching. My talent helped me persevere when things were tough in the first year. From there on, I dedicated countless hours to learning, preparation, and actually going out teaching.
And eventually, I got good at it. No, that’s not right. Over time, I became proficient. I needed long-term dedication and consistency to achieve success.
Hard Work Is Still Required
Roger Federer, George Clooney, and Caitlin Clark all recognized their talent, but then they put in a lot of hard work to build something greater. And that’s a lesson for all of us, even if we don’t need to be the best in the world.
Hard work, dedication, and consistency can take us very far — often further than we ever dreamed.
So, let’s go out into the world and start building.