'Talent without craft is like fuel without an engine - it burns wildly but
accomplishes little...'
I couldn't agree more. I had always felt growing up that I would be outshone by those who had "natural talent". You
know the type the ones that don't really seem to study and still
managed to get through will A+. I for one have never felt particularly
gifted at anything really but I always tried my best. My dad always told
me "all you can do is your best" So I soldiered on.
It wasn't until I got to college I finally saw someone that had talent but couldn't get any further
and it baffled me. I had always looked up to this person she had
"talent" oozing pout her pores. Everything she produced was fantastic
but it just wasn't getting her anywhere And the problem was that she was
relying on her talent to get her through. She wasn't pushing to get
better. She had no get up and go. I remember at a networking event
EVERYONE turned up but her and as a result I (someone who's work was
pretty terrible) got more interest than her.
I then realised that "talent" will only get you so far. The rest is up to you. People are very perceptive to laziness, during interviews its normally startlingly obvious to me if people work hard or if they just do enough to get by. And those who just make excuses.
Everything that I'm good at I had to work for even my confidence. If you could've seen me nine years ago I was completely different. The only way I got tot where I am today was by pushing myself to do different things in order to learn different skills. I think this is what make me stand out maybe? Maybe not, either way I feel that people see the passion in me to do my best and that's why I get presented with so many fantastic opportunities, which of course I snap up.
In truth how I see it is some people are born with a natural ability or "talent" for something but that alone is not enough. If that person takes it builds a passion for it and runs with it they are a force to be reckoned with. However if that ability is left un-nurtured or abused other people who have spent the time to learn the skills and worked hard can take over.
I hope one day that will be me, I have improved so much already but I have a long way to go and perhaps to my advantage I have other skills to complement me.
Reading some of the links provided I was actually shocked at how some people regard talent the link below in particular -
http://www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_07_22_a_talent.htm
It's
ridiculous that such a high profile company would behave in such a
pathetic and juvenile way.The fact they spent so much time and money
making their little "stars" happy is just stupid. A business should
function on profit and the only way to get that is by focusing on the
product and the customers with trained and capable staff and good
management, planning and task delegation. Companies should want their
employees to be happy and comfortable but to molly coddle them in such a
way they did is just.. there are no words.
In my time I
have a had few different jobs and not all of them pleasant but at the
end of the day, ITS A JOB suck it up and get it done or move on. I have
never had a boss make that much fuss over an employee and if I did I be
worried frankly. No wonder the company went down. As the article states
positions should be assigned by experience, suitability and capability.
Somebody may have all the qualifications in the world but without the
relevant experience they are still a rookie.
As for the
whole creativity matter I have realised in order to be creative you have
to have the tools and the skills. Both talent and creativity are great
to have but without the fundamentals they are both wasted. 
Image from - http://gameartstudentbullfrog.tumblr.com/
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