Is there something that you always wanted to pursue….a sport, music, art, cooking….but you didn’t think you had 
the talent to become good at it?
What if I told you that this is absolutely not true? That talent isn’t born, it’s grown.
I started playing piano when I was 5. By the time I was 8 and taking lessons at The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., I had fallen in love with the instrument. My teacher expected me to practice at least 30 minutes a day…which I did….without questioning.
I was 10 when I saw 16 years old Andre Watts perform with Leonard Bernstein and The New York Philharmonic on TV. It was a moment that changed my life. I witnessed an extraordinary talent who grabbed my emotions in a way that I had never experienced.
Yet, it never crossed my mind that I could use Andre as a role model and strive to become as skillful and talented as he was. I didn’t even think about saying to my piano teacher “Show me how I can be as good as Andre Watts and I’ll do whatever it takes to get there.”
Why not? I think you already know. He was talented and I wasn’t. That’s what the culture taught me to believe.
After reading The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle, what I thought was a solid, unwavering truth for 50 years…isn’t.
In the video below, Daniel talks about what he learned about talent in his 2 years of research and travel.
I couldn’t resist adding this video of Andre performing several years ago. I was unable to find the performance from he ws 16. But this one can you give a taste of his extraordinary ‘talent’.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN. Talk about your own experiences with talent.
photo credit: The Happy Rower via photo pin cc
Hi Fran,
I used be the same and believed that those who I perceived as being talented were some how born like that. How wrong I was. Indeed, we can use such people as role models. They usually have strategies in terms of what they are thinking and believing and external competence in the skills they are demonstating. All such things can be modelled and replicated by others.
Hiten….I used to study music theory with a man…who also ended up being my spiritual guide….who told me that he could teach anyone to be a fine pianist. I pooh poohed him at the time. But when I saw what he taught and pulled out of me, by the time he died, I knew that he was speaking the truth.
We can do so much more than what we give ourselves credit for Hiten. I never ‘longed’ to go to medical school. BUT I also thought that I wasn’t smart enough to go because science didn’t come naturally to me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know the work you’ve done and continue to do on yourself. It is awesome and a testament to the belief that when you set your mind to doing something, you can do it!
BTW, how is your improv. class going? Fran
Hi Fran:
Looks like an interesting book. I tend to disagree. I do think we can learn and practice things and become adept or very good at that particular skill, but I think each of us come in with set skills and gifts that we grow throughout our lives.
I do believe each of has a set destiny, whether we uncover it or not, is a different story.
I could try my hand at tennis or acting (just using these for examples). I don’t think I would particularly excel at either because they are not my passion and I don’t think I have the aptitude to really become exceptional or very good at either.
– Wendy
Wendy….Thanks for sharing your thoughts…and for disagreeing with me. It makes for a good dialogue.
I come from your school of thought. I have been reading Howard Gardener’s books since he published ‘Multiple Intelligences’.
So I get what you’re saying.
I do believe that we come out of the womb with proclivities and that we tend to follow the things we are passionate about. BUT in a certain environment if a parent or adult deems that you are going to pursue something and perform at a high level…no matter what it takes….you do it. I’ve seen this happen time and again.
To play devils advocate….do you think that Serena and Venus Williams just happened to be very talented and that their father then decided they should become world champions? Do you think the Jackson Five were jamming and singing when they were kids and that their father responded to their brilliance and helped to guide them?
I don’t have the answers to any of this BUT The Talent Code has certainly made me question a lot of what I thought to be the truth….some of which I now think are great myths that we love to buy into.
Wendy, if we lived in the same town, I’d meet you for a cup of coffee so we could continue this conversation. 🙂 Fran
I was lucky enough to have an experience early on that dispelled the notion for me that my set of talents, or of things I was capable of doing, was fixed for life. My mother used to think of me as physically uncoordinated, and when I was little she told me that, because of that lack of coordination, I probably would not learn to play the drums well. But I really wanted to play drums, and so I never stopped playing. Today, playing drums seems very intuitive and natural for me. She was probably right about playing baseball and other sports though. 🙂
Chris..You’re a perfect example of not listening following your passion, working at it, and excelling. I applaud you that regardless of the negative input you received from your Mom that you pursued the drums.
As far as not being good at sports, I think if you had someone guiding, pushing, and teaching you the discipline of practice, that you would have done just fine.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts….and for stopping by. Hope to see you here again soon. Fran
Fran,
I think I need some deep writing practice. Been feeling stuck lately. I haven’t heard of this book before. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Tess…I’ll have to dig out the article about a famous copywriter who broke his writing practices down into 33’33” sessions. When the time went off, he always took a break…not just a few minutes. He wrote 3 hours a day PERIOD. No more than that
Dear Fran,
I know this is true. We can do just about anything if we set our mind’s to it. Natural talent is great but, dedication and practice are the real keys.
By the way….I met Andre Watts and visited him at his home when he lived here in NY. Nice man!
Angela….I’m not surprised that you feel that way. Excellent teaching makes a huge difference as well. As a matter of fact, I think there needs to be more of it in the world of writing…one on one like studying music or mastering a sport.
Yes, Andre is indeed a nice man. Fran
A Great “twist” on our perceived meaning of talent/ed. If the seed is planted then it’s up to the host to grow. We do the same. Acknowledge we all have ‘talent’ then up to us to determine our own growth from this. Thankyou.
David….How true. But like a seed that germinates, it needs nutrition and nurturing. So does an individual who wants to excell at something. I’ve seen it time and again in working with inner city elementary school children. All it takes is one person who cares and tells them that they can do whatever they want….and it is more than likely that they will make huge strides. Thanks for chiming in. Fran
Fran~ I have been writing since I was a very small child, and in the course of my life I have grown only more fond of my writing ability to the point where it is an obsession for me. Words are my passion. Communication is my forte, so much so that the dance style that I teach – hula – is very much an incredibly expressive dance.
I have loved words since I was a child, and when I was that small child, I recall my mother wanting dearly for me to write for the newspaper, but I just couldn’t. No matter what I said to her, she never relented, and fortunately for me, neither would I. I would not relent my talent to the idea that the only words worthy of my expression were those which were mimicking that of the terrors we see each day on the news. I would not bother with not being able to do as I had. “As I had” was only the very beginning for me.
The challenge for me was not to try to develop this talent, but to be able to write book-length. Because I am every bit the Pisces that I was born, I have ability to come up with ideas and to start them, but for the most part, until four years ago, that way of being fit, I could not finish them because I got bored too easily. Rather than give up I chose instead to write long article length blogs and put them all into collections of my writings and then one day I realized that I had done what it was that I’d always wanted to – I became a book author.
As I sit here writing this I am taking a break from a book that was not comprised of a collection of two years’ worth of blog posts. Instead, this new project, “The Bones of The Soul,” has been the most magnificent and Loving thing that me and my Big Ol’ Soul have done together in a long, long time. From this writing I have happened upon more and more ideas, all of them for books which are just begging to call me out and grab my attention for a few weeks whist I sit here giving the world whatever it is that I have for it.
And make no mistake – there are a lot of other things and jobs that I have had that I loved very much…nonprofits…marketing…public relations…band management…public speaking…but none o f them will ever be for me what these words within have always…
Yay me !!
Roxanne…Whew! What a great story. Your resilience, passion, and not letting your mother bend you to her desires are pretty phenomenal.
Your story is a beautiful one of following your heart, listening in, and being a conduit for whatever wanted to come out of you.
The momentum and passion you convey are inspirational…and contagious. Keep me posted on The Soul of Bones.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see more of you. Fran
Hi Fran,
Interesting concept. I too was under the impression that you were born with talent. Something like playing the piano, I can see where you could become very accomplished with dedication. I wonder about being a vocalist, something I would love, but my gift is how off key I am. I will check out the book. It sounds interesting. Take care and have a great week!!
Cathy….A vocalist, eh? But you’re off key? Oh, I bet a good teacher could do wonders with you. When I started studying music theory as an adult, I couldn’t hear…and this is after I took music theory my entire childhood. This time around my teached was extraordinary….not only did he get me ‘hearing’ the notes but he had me playing jazz and I even wrote an opera. (I still can’t believe it). That’s the power of having someone tell you that ‘yes, you can’ combined with superlative teaching…and of course,discipline, and practice coming from the student. Fran
Do you think anyone can become a world class singer/songwriter or does that take natural talent
Michael- Sorry for the delayed response. I’ve been off line pretty much since mid-October. Am just returning now.
Yes, I do believe that anyone can become a very competent singer/songwriter IF they follow their passion with intent, discipline and having some great teachers. I suggest you read the book “The Talent Code”. It really talks about talent vs. working at becoming a master of your craft. As far as becoming world class, that is a whole other conversation. Thanks for writing in with that question. Fran
I am feeling that everybody in this world are born with some talents those talents are blossomed when the time comes. I surprise with the success of the people and their background. I really don\’t understand what makes them to choose that path and how they become so much extra ordinary for example Mark Wahlberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs like this so many amazing personalities. I really don\’t understand why I live a very routine life like a robot. I don\’t understand how to make this life beautiful. If the talent have a code why our education system is so mechanical. It should be re designed. I liked your article. I just felt to write to you. I found your article while I am searching about the reasons for the successful people lives. Every second so many born on this earth but only few are doing right things and nice things to this earth.
Satya-
I am sorry for the delay in my response to your thoughtful note. You are right on target about the school systems. They actually teach us to “NOT THINK” and “NOT BE CREATIVE”. I truly believe that each of us has our own unique brand of genius. Unfortunately, we are not taught how to maximize it at a young age and because it is not valued, we get cut off from it. Then we walk through life putting people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates on a pedestal….which makes us feel small. It would be of more use for you if you can start looking inside of yourself and discovering what brings you joy, and what do you love doing. If I can be of service to you, please let me know. There is no reason why you are not living a life of meaning….something is preventing you from doing so. With blessings and love…Fran