Natural Talent vs Hard Work; Why Natural Talent is so Dangerous.

"Wow. That's a really good video... This is your first one, right?"

"Yeah! I got a perfect grade. I guess it just comes naturally to me?"

"I guess it does..."

(A conversation between my friend and I after comparing our video assignments.)

Growing up, I was never very good at anything. I tried sports, acting, and even painting, but nothing ever clicked. Eventually, I found an interest in video creation and it stuck with me. After finishing my third short film, I had the conversation above with my friend after watching his first video.

Natural talent always bothered me. How is it fair that someone could just be born with the skills that took me weeks to cultivate? I would always feel dejected after seeing someone else's work and realizing that I had been making videos for twice as long as they did with half the result. However, as time passed, I learned something. Natural talent is dangerous.

It may seem appealing to all of us, but after seeing filmmakers come and go, I can say with certainty that natural talent is a slow killer. For example, the person who I referenced above has now given up on film from a lack of motivation.

The main issue with natural talent is its ability to hide the truth from people. You start pursuing something and you feel amazing; your work is good, and your hopes are high. Unfortunately, by starting successful you miss the most important lesson of any craft, failure.

These "gifted" individuals eventually hit a wall, and have no clue what to do. They're not used to feeling challenged, so they give up. After three and a half years of video making, I've seen this happen to two other local filmmakers.

Now, how about those who were born with no innate talent? What makes them more likely to succeed? Well, I believe the answer to that question lies in one quality, ambition. Ambition is why hard workers continue to thrive while those who rely on talent alone fail.

Consider this, let's say natural talents can give someone an estimated 30 days worth of skill. You, someone with no natural talent, decide to wake up every day at 4 AM while your competition wakes up at 7 AM. If we do the math, by staying consistent with this schedule you will have gained 45 days worth of additional training in a year just by waking up earlier.

If you're not willing to put in the time, it doesn't matter how much talent you have, you will be outworked. What people fail to realize with any dream is that there are millions of others just like you who want it just as bad. You're running a race, and to win you have to be ahead of everyone else.

Some of these people are incredibly skilled while others are just novices. However, when it comes down to it, the person who always succeeds is the person who wants it the most. If you truly aspire to a goal, you will set time aside for it, and you will succeed.

Natural talent is unfair, I agree. There will always be times in life where people will have more money, more resources, and more advantages than you, but if you let that get in the way, then you've already lost. I think basketball player, Kobe Bryant, says it best:

" The moment you give up is the moment you let someone else win. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses."

"Dedication sees dreams come true."

The truth is with any dream, it won't always be fun. There are times where you have to buckle down and work. Obstructions will come, and life will get in the way. What's important to remember is: The most successful people are the ones who are always willing to work past struggle and adversity. It's not the most talented people who win, it's the ones who work the hardest.