The effort talent paradigm
This is yet another inspired article (what is really original anyway?). I've been reading Grit by Angela Duckworth, and this article is a basic paraphrasing and personal retelling of the tenets outlined in the book.
The primary thing I've marveled at and craved for in life is effortlessness. People who do something effortlessly fascinate me, and I watch them spellbound, trying to fathom the reason for their excellence.
Imagine this : you watch/listen to a magnificent performance of an actor/dancer/musician/athlete. What would you attribute this magnificence to?
If you belong to the overwhelming majority of the population, you would undoubtedly respond in the blink of an eye: talent. I would have said the same. For haven't we all gone home and tried out the same feat, only to find ourselves bitterly disappointed by the result? I, for one, have. And this is a resounding proof of our hypothesis. That person you watched was way more talented than you ever will be. We blame it on the genes and move on with a sad sigh.
But what if you probe deeper into the source of effortlessness? Ironically, tremendous effort, day after day, is the precursor to effortlessness. Ask a world class musician how many hours he practices. The answer will astound you. Similarly for all the other people, be it an athlete/dancer/writer. They spend the majority of their day honing their craft.
You might ask me: Are you implying that anyone can do anything? Is there no part that talent plays?
No. If your talent is below a particular basic threshold, then it could be a limiting factor. However, in most cases, our talent levels are well above this threshold. And in all these cases, effort plays a bigger role in your success.
There might be a person less talented but more hardworking, and you will be surprised by the extent of their success. What I'm trying to say is this : A basic quantum of talent will be exponentially amplified by your efforts.
I will draw on examples from my own life.
When I turned 18, I wanted to get my driving license both for a two wheeler and four wheeler. I found that driving made me increasingly nervous and stressed out. As a result, I spent very less time practicing-- just the bare minimum I needed to get a license. I cleared the test and got my license, but I never went back to driving. My memories were borderline traumatic, and I never wanted to relive them. My parents are both excellent drivers, and have repeatedly berated me for this. I would cite bad reflexes and any other excuse that came to mind, sometimes even the classic 'I'm just not made for driving. I don't have the necessary abilities'. My mom would always disagree : 'It's practise, practise and more practice. Do you know how bad I was when I started? What mattered was I kept at it. Day after day, even after accidents and injuries. I hated driving, and had very little talent for it. You in fact have better skills than me. What you lack is grit.'
I have always stayed mum, on the grounds that if you hate something, there's no point in forcing yourself to learn it.
An example of the other kind. I read at a pace of 100-150 pages an hour, depending on content and concentration. When non-readers hear this, they exclaim in despair. I remember a friend who told me 'Now I understand why you read so much. You can read so fast that it feels effortless to you. If you read at my pace, then you would struggle to complete even a single book, and eventually give up. You are a gifted reader.' The conclusion was that I read voraciously because my reading speed is relatively fast.
But my friend had gotten the cause-effect reversed, because it was the other way around. I have reached this pace because I read consistently. I have been reading for about 20 years now, and the effort therefore is not just a day or two, but a culmination of decades. Effortlessness is an inevitable consequence when you look at it that way. When I started out reading, I was just as clueless as the next person. My speed must have been pathetic, my vocabulary stunted, and my frustration boundless. I don't even remember any of that now, because it's so far in the past. One thing that I can tell you without a doubt : I am where I am today because of resilient effort. Nothing else.
So should you try your hand at everything, because nothing is impossible? I would answer in the negative. There are only so many hours in the day, therefore you must choose your battles wisely. Limit yourself to those things you are passionate about. Effort and passion make for an incredible combination.
Forget how much talent you have, and pour in all the effort you can. Even if you feel helpless, ignorant and desperate. Take all the punches life throws at you, and return to the fight. One day you'll find effortlessness, and people will call you innately talented. You can choose to correct them, or smirk and walk away, leaving them to figure it out for themselves.
P.S: This is meant to inspire anyone who thinks they're not good enough to excel in something but badly wants to. Trust me, you are good enough. The more pressing question is : Do you have the grit it takes?
The primary thing I've marveled at and craved for in life is effortlessness. People who do something effortlessly fascinate me, and I watch them spellbound, trying to fathom the reason for their excellence.
Imagine this : you watch/listen to a magnificent performance of an actor/dancer/musician/athlete. What would you attribute this magnificence to?
If you belong to the overwhelming majority of the population, you would undoubtedly respond in the blink of an eye: talent. I would have said the same. For haven't we all gone home and tried out the same feat, only to find ourselves bitterly disappointed by the result? I, for one, have. And this is a resounding proof of our hypothesis. That person you watched was way more talented than you ever will be. We blame it on the genes and move on with a sad sigh.
But what if you probe deeper into the source of effortlessness? Ironically, tremendous effort, day after day, is the precursor to effortlessness. Ask a world class musician how many hours he practices. The answer will astound you. Similarly for all the other people, be it an athlete/dancer/writer. They spend the majority of their day honing their craft.
You might ask me: Are you implying that anyone can do anything? Is there no part that talent plays?
No. If your talent is below a particular basic threshold, then it could be a limiting factor. However, in most cases, our talent levels are well above this threshold. And in all these cases, effort plays a bigger role in your success.
There might be a person less talented but more hardworking, and you will be surprised by the extent of their success. What I'm trying to say is this : A basic quantum of talent will be exponentially amplified by your efforts.
Image credits: Angela Duckworth, Grit
I will draw on examples from my own life.
When I turned 18, I wanted to get my driving license both for a two wheeler and four wheeler. I found that driving made me increasingly nervous and stressed out. As a result, I spent very less time practicing-- just the bare minimum I needed to get a license. I cleared the test and got my license, but I never went back to driving. My memories were borderline traumatic, and I never wanted to relive them. My parents are both excellent drivers, and have repeatedly berated me for this. I would cite bad reflexes and any other excuse that came to mind, sometimes even the classic 'I'm just not made for driving. I don't have the necessary abilities'. My mom would always disagree : 'It's practise, practise and more practice. Do you know how bad I was when I started? What mattered was I kept at it. Day after day, even after accidents and injuries. I hated driving, and had very little talent for it. You in fact have better skills than me. What you lack is grit.'
I have always stayed mum, on the grounds that if you hate something, there's no point in forcing yourself to learn it.
An example of the other kind. I read at a pace of 100-150 pages an hour, depending on content and concentration. When non-readers hear this, they exclaim in despair. I remember a friend who told me 'Now I understand why you read so much. You can read so fast that it feels effortless to you. If you read at my pace, then you would struggle to complete even a single book, and eventually give up. You are a gifted reader.' The conclusion was that I read voraciously because my reading speed is relatively fast.
But my friend had gotten the cause-effect reversed, because it was the other way around. I have reached this pace because I read consistently. I have been reading for about 20 years now, and the effort therefore is not just a day or two, but a culmination of decades. Effortlessness is an inevitable consequence when you look at it that way. When I started out reading, I was just as clueless as the next person. My speed must have been pathetic, my vocabulary stunted, and my frustration boundless. I don't even remember any of that now, because it's so far in the past. One thing that I can tell you without a doubt : I am where I am today because of resilient effort. Nothing else.
So should you try your hand at everything, because nothing is impossible? I would answer in the negative. There are only so many hours in the day, therefore you must choose your battles wisely. Limit yourself to those things you are passionate about. Effort and passion make for an incredible combination.
Forget how much talent you have, and pour in all the effort you can. Even if you feel helpless, ignorant and desperate. Take all the punches life throws at you, and return to the fight. One day you'll find effortlessness, and people will call you innately talented. You can choose to correct them, or smirk and walk away, leaving them to figure it out for themselves.
P.S: This is meant to inspire anyone who thinks they're not good enough to excel in something but badly wants to. Trust me, you are good enough. The more pressing question is : Do you have the grit it takes?
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