Hard Work vs Talent

Daily Meditation 726–2/22/2024

There’s an old expression along the lines of “Hard work beats talent, unless talent works hard.” Feels pretty right, hey?

We all know “that person” who maybe was a “natural” at something — piano, talking in public, writing, or weightlifting — and they knew it, so they…well…
Took their natural talent for granted.

They stopped piano practices.
They quit doing public speaking.
They shelved all their writing, waiting for a perfect moment.
They ate what they wanted and stopped lifting daily.

And what happened?

Nothing at first, perhaps.
But then, over the months or years, their skills fell behind those who just worked harder — who had to work harder — and gradually they quit.

We all probably know someone who is 30+, smokes, and now is pigeonholed in a job they hate (or at minimum are indifferent towards), and looks back on their youth wistfully and frustrated at themselves and all their wasted potential.

And that’s what talent so often becomes. Wasted potential.

Because hard work takes a while to take root and blossom, whereas “talent” is not…