The Myth of Natural Talent

The Myth of Natural Talent

The key to transforming good performance into excellent performance isn't rooted in natural God-given talents, but rather in the deliberate acquisition and application of accurate knowledge.

Acquiring Precise Knowledge:

Instead of copying the actions of others; individuals should focus on learning the best concepts, and true ideas specific to their field of interest.

Applying the Knowledge:

This is accomplished by vigorous and sustained practice, continuously evaluating performance feedback, and making ongoing adaptive improvements.

Consider the tennis great, Roger Federer. His prowess isn't a divine gift but a result of countless hours of rigorous practice, which has led to the ingraining of his movements into his neurology.

This skills-internalisation is so deep that Federer himself might find it hard to explicitly explain his actions - a phenomenon psychologists' term as 'expert-induced amnesia.'

So, the path to success is laid more with targeted, intentional practice than with innate talent.

Sixth sense intuition is a myth.

Similarly, the so-called 'sixth sense' or intuition, often has its roots in subconscious logical deductions derived from extensive experience.

For instance, the firefighter who evacuated a building moments before it collapsed was praised for having a supernatural instinct for danger. In truth, his 'sixth sense' was his subconscious processing of decades of experience and drawing logical conclusions.

The quality of logical conclusions depends on the validity of the logic used and the accuracy of the premises, typically gained through extensive experience.

Inaccurate premises or flawed logic can lead to false conclusions.

Correct and consistent answers only arise from accurate premises processed through valid logic.

Regrettably, many business and government institutions are filled with people lacking a sound understanding of logic or the necessary experiential knowledge, leading them to making repeated mistakes.

What often appears as magical talent is usually the result of unseen hours of intense practice - often amounting to 10,000 hours or more.

The misplaced belief in the necessity of inherent talent, discourages many people, causing them to abandon their efforts following initial setbacks.

However, setbacks should be viewed as signals for the need for more knowledge, better training, or both.

Quitting is the real failure, leaving room for incompetence in fields that require expertise.

So, persevere, and you may find that so-called 'God-given talent' is, in fact, a disciplined pursuit of knowledge and the awesome power of practice.

Definition: deliberate practice

Deliberate practice is a way of building skill used in sport, music or work. It sets clear goals, drills tasks just beyond current ability, seeks quick feedback, and repeats for many hours over months or years. If any one of these parts is missing, the work is only normal practice, not deliberate practice.

Article Summary

Great performance rarely comes from birthright; it grows when you gain clear knowledge, log about 10,000 hours of focused practice, study feedback, and refine until skill feels like instinct. Talent is the story we tell; steady learning and deliberate effort hold the truth.

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Did You Know: Key Statistics

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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