In this blog post, we will take a deep dive into whether talent is something that is born or something that is developed through constant effort.

 

Is talent something that comes first, or is effort something that comes first?

“First you must have talent. Then it’s training.” Ernest Miller Hemingway said. We’ve all had these thoughts at least once when faced with a difficult task. “Am I lacking in effort? Or am I just not talented in this area? Should I work harder, or am I just lazy? Is talent something that is innate, or is it something that can be developed? How much effort do I need to put in to know whether I have talent or not? Is the inability to put in the effort a sign that I don’t have talent?” There are many thoughts that come to mind when it comes to the topic of talent and effort.
There are many diligent people, but none of them seem to have any special talents. On the other hand, some people achieve amazing results without much effort, either because of laziness or natural talent. I, too, wanted to go to graduate school, and I once wondered, “Is this an excuse or a reality?”
“I spend 10 hours studying, but he seems to be able to solve problems well in 3 hours, or even less. I guess it’s okay for a major class, but as the depth of research increases, won’t this difference get bigger? If so, I wonder if I can only focus on studying to reach a level that is at least comparable to my competitors around the world?”
Does talent really exist? If it does, is it so powerful that it cannot be overcome through effort? Let’s take a quick look at how this discussion has been conducted among researchers. Regarding the classic question of whether talent is hereditary or environmental, Thomas Bouchard, a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, declared, “I’m willing to bet that superior talent has a strong genetic component.” On the other hand, Ericsson, who was born in Sweden and is active in the United States, born in 1947, is a representative figure who advocates the acquired theory. He argues, “The controversy over whether it is genetic aptitude or environment that causes differences between various people comes from differences between various people. However, the differences cannot be said to be caused by genetic aptitude, and even if such aptitude exists, it has not yet been confirmed.” From Professor Ericsson’s point of view, what is more important than innate talent is hard work and internal motivation to achieve one’s goals. This point of view seems to be in line with the popular advice that “hard work is also a talent.”
This debate between genetic aptitude and environmental effort is not easily resolved. In the end, it comes down to the conclusion that there is no solid evidence to support the theory of innate talent, and it is asserted that “even if there were such evidence, it would be impossible to prove it.” After examining this discourse, what I felt was that it may be a pointless debate to ask whether it is heredity or learning. However, what is noteworthy is that more and more experts are rejecting the view that intellectual talent is innate.

 

Invisible Treasure, Talent

There is a fable that came to mind while writing this blog post. It is La Fontaine’s “Invisible Treasure.” The story goes like this. A farmer who foresaw his death told his lazy sons: “Even if I die, never sell our land. I don’t know the exact location, but there is a huge treasure buried there.” When their father died, the sons dug up the land to find the treasure. But there was no treasure anywhere. In fact, there never was any treasure to begin with. But because they dug deep into the land, that year’s crops were bountiful, and the sons became very rich. This fable shows how imagination can turn into reality. If the three sons had not imagined the treasure, the land left by their father would have remained a wasteland. If we did not expect ourselves to be talented, would we have made endless efforts? I think the illusion of “talent” is having even the slightest hope for a desired goal.
It is difficult to determine whether someone has talent at the beginning. Even those who have experienced failure or success cannot be sure whether it is due to constant effort or innate talent. I remember a scene from an American cartoon I saw when I was a child. In the scene, a character runs across a cliff and into the air. He walks for a while without realizing that his feet are floating in the air, and only at some point does he look down and realize that his feet are floating in the air. And then I fall. I think we are all in this situation. We are walking in the air, hoping to have talent, or trying to achieve something even though we think we don’t have talent. And then we fall, realizing that we cannot overcome the wall of talent with our efforts, and we are trapped between these two states.
At this point, should you catch the character walking in the air and knock him down? Or should you enlighten the person who is trying without realizing that he has no talent? I would like to answer “Why should I do that?” A person who risks his life in ignorance may seem ridiculous, but in some ways he may be the wiser. This person is constantly thinking and trying even while walking the wrong path. He is surely a few steps further than someone who has given up everything after realizing that he has no talent. On the contrary, I think it is more tragic to abandon even the knowledge based on previous efforts after realizing that one has no talent.
Our lives are always full of tension. People believe that the ground they are standing on is firmly established by reason, and they challenge and talk about things that are vain and cannot be overcome by effort. Like a trapeze artist who believes in a safety net, or like a cartoon character who walks in the air. The reason why a person who challenges and strives can remain in the air without falling is because gravity does not temporarily act on them. Who has the right to pull someone who is striving for their dreams away from a place where gravity does not act? Paradoxically, it is the “illusory talent” that makes a person without talent work harder. As the words on the Amsterdam sign read, “Failure is better than despair,” rather than despairing about not having talent, why not try to follow your passion, which has been transformed into “talent,” even if it is an illusion? I believe that the invisible wings of talent will allow us to escape the laws of gravity.