It’s been a while since I’ve added to this series, so I’m going to start with a brief review of the premise of this series. Most people like to be called “talented” and most people think they are congratulating someone when they praise them for being “talented.”
Calling someone talented is one of the worst things you can do to anyone, especially a young person. Doing so often takes away the drive to improve and do even better. Raise their value before they have tasted significant success.
There is also an excuse in the subtext when praising someone for their talent that is usually missed: “I would be as good as you, if it weren’t for the fact that you are more talented than me.”
This is why I teach my clients to be offended when someone calls them talented and I urge them to point out how hard they have worked to develop their skills (which are often mistaken for talent). I suggest that you take this approach as well. If you want more background information, all of my previous articles in this series are still available on this site.
This does not mean that there are not people with a better predisposition to succeed in different endeavors. For example, if your goal is to play in the NBA, every few inches taller you are will increase your chances of reaching your goal. But the fact that you are really tall is far from a determining factor and in no way a guarantee of your success.
If you’re between 6’10 “and 7 ‘tall, your statistical odds of reaching the NBA are still only 3.2 percent. Remember the subtext I mentioned earlier when calling someone talented? Let’s say you’re between 6’ 10 “and 7 ‘tall. and playing in the NBA. Now insert the word “height” instead of “talented” in the subtext example I used earlier. “I’d be as good as you, if it weren’t for the fact that you’re taller than me.” We now know that more than 96% of the people in your height range don’t make it to the NBA, so it seems silly to believe that if the person telling you this simply had your height (or “talent”) they would be in the NBA. too.
It is not where you start but where you end that matters in any endeavor you undertake. There are a myriad of factors that influence success that are more important in determining who succeeds than height or talent. Sure, being 6’10 “to 7 ‘tall is an early advantage for someone who wants to play in the NBA, but the vast majority of players in the NBA are still under 6’10” tall.
Being labeled as talented or smart often makes people more cautious. To grow, we must continually strive to try things that are beyond our current reach.
The bottom line is that while you may start off with some inherent advantages over others, what ultimately determines who succeeds has more to do with your desire and the amount of work you put into developing your skills than any advantage that you use. started.
You can follow Sam on Twitter @SuperTaoInc
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