Talent is overrated

We all want it—talent. And when someone achieves something through hard work, we can’t wait to attribute it to talent. Because that gives us peace of mind. If that person had no talent and achieved it through hard work, then you could have achieved it too. You just didn’t feel like working hard, so you blame it on talent.

And I already hear the usual excuses coming, so before you impulsively comment that talent is absolutely necessary, read on. Because I think you mean natural ability. A bit of natural ability in football is helpful if you want to play. But talent is just something you shouldn’t rely on. It makes you lazy and arrogant, and 9 out of 10 talented people give up. Because the moment it gets hard, they quit. It was always so easy, and now they actually have to put in effort.

So don’t go looking for your talent, look for something you have a knack for. And then work insanely hard. If you need inspiration, go back and watch the first videos of your favorite YouTuber. You’ll usually see the following things: a young person having fun. But if you look a little further, you’ll see dedication. Because making a video every week or every day is no small feat. Especially when you have to do it for the first five years with just a few views per video. Talent won’t help you spend ten years working on your dream every single day. You don’t need talent for that—you need discipline and dedication.

But of course, it’s easier to sit back in your chair and blame it on talent. That way, you don’t have to face the fact that there’s so much more inside you than you’re currently showing.

I hear it all the time: "You have such a talent for portrait photography." I politely say, "Thank you." But inside, I think, "Yeah, sure—super talented. Fifteen years, 100+ hours per week working on improving my craft." I thought talent meant you didn’t have to work as hard. That everything would come naturally. So let me clarify: I have no talent. And most people who achieve something don’t either. What they do have is the discipline to improve every single day, year after year. The willingness to try new things with 100% dedication—only to fail and start over again.