Talent is just a starting point.
It’s practically impossible to disprove that some form of “natural talent” exists.
For most of us, however, success is not a physical venture.
We just want to be good atsomething.
We want to make a decent wage doing something fulfilling so we can live a comfortable life.
Oh, that we were blessed with such talent!
If only our stars had lined up like theirs did.
Well, your stars can change.
You just have to be the one to change them.
Change Your Perspective On Ability
The wrong perspective canhold us backfrom so many things.
You either have it or you don’t, right?
You assume that you must have a marked innate ability to do something well just because you areyou.
As soon as you start to think that, you’ve already denied yourself the chance.
You won’tletyourself go beyond your self-made wall.
You want to be successful at something?
Then stop holding yourself back.
It’s time to change your mindset and forge your own talent.
Instead, think of other peoples abilities as skills.
If someone is good at something, they’re skilled.
The musician isskilledat playing the guitar.
Of course, playing the guitar is something that can be considered more technical.
What about something that’s more reliant on your body?
Arecent study from Northwestern Universitypublished in the journalMusic Perceptionsuggests that singing is a skill as well.
Sure, some people actuallysuffer from amusiawhich causes tone deafnessbut it only occurs in about 1 in 20 people.
The bottom line for most people is you could be a good singer if you want to be.
Why aren’t there more incredible singers?
They sing in the shower, in the car, and when they do chores around the house.
Some people don’t like to sing in public or think they’re good enough to.
Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Romer study the learning curves of grandmaster chess players.
That’s 12 years of intense chess play every single day.
Nobody learns the rules of chess and immediately knows how to take on the best in the world.
When you make everything a skill instead of a talent, the entire world opens up.
These successful people we look up to begin to just look like dedicated individuals.
Successful public speakers are suddenly people with experience and practice under their belt.
Powerful businessmen and women are merely disciplined investors.
So, what do you want to do?
When you know what skills you want to develop, you have to practice.
This doesn’t mean doing the same thing over and over.
It just makes you more skilled at playing that song.
The same way you add weights as you get stronger, you mustexpand your skill development.
Now you have to do it a lot.
It takes more than just practicing for 20 minutes a day.
It takes hours and hours of practice, and it takes years to get anywhere.
Many call this the “10 Years of Silence.”
You have to be patient with your practice just as much you better be deliberate.
Without a target, your motivation can take a nosedive before you ever make any real progress.
The beginning, when you have the least amount of skill, is the hardest part.
You probablywon’t be very good when you start, but no one ever said success would be easy.
Keep your expectations in check, set times to practice regularly, and just keep going.
It’s both the hardest and easiest part, but all you should probably do is keep on going.
For many people, the idea of achievement being born from natural talent cheapens it.
Instead of earning something through your effort and dedication, achievement just fell into your lap.
It is a lot more exciting for you to achieve something when you believe you earned it.
Don’t shortchange yourself by thinking that you’re “just good at it.”
Whatever it is, you’re skilled because you took the time to practice.
Maybe naturally talented people have an edge, and maybe they don’t.
It’s hard to say.
You are your worst enemy when it comes to success, but you might also be your greatest asset.
Photos byThe Last Word(Shutterstock),Adam Goode,Quinn Dombrowski,woodleywonderworks,Bruce McKay.
