You Have Enough Talent. Now Work on Your Skills.  Your skills will create your success.  Don’t let your feelings about your talent discourage you from success.

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”  Albert Einstein

We’ve all known the kids with talent. These are the gifted students. They are instantly successful.   They have math talent.  They develop math skills easily. They have science talent. They develop science skills easily. They have talent for foreign language. They develop foreign language skills easily.

In “THE TALENT MYTH, Are smart people overrated,” The New Yorker, Malcolm Gladwell explains that a high IQ is not the most important factor to success. More important than IQ is common sense and how well you work with other people.  Gladwell emphasizes the development of people skills.

In the beginning of the school year, the teacher can see which students have talent. These kids know the answers immediately. As the school year moves along, more kids become members of the smart kids group. These kids do their homework. These kids have less talent. By doing their homework, they can give the correct answers just as quickly as the kids who had talent. These kids with less talent develop the same skills as the talented kids. They get the same grades. In terms of results, it does not matter whether these kids have talent or they just work hard. They are on the principal’s honor roll. They are in the National Honor Society.

Some kids show talent the first very first day of school in the first grade. Other excellent students quickly become successful students.   They immediately develop school skills.  Each year, their skills grow.

Often talented students fall behind other students.  These talented students do not continue to develop skills.

Some kids start late. These kids do not have to get lost. They can do extra homework. They can take classes during the summer. They can get tutoring for their weak skills. They can catch up with the students with great skills.

If you are struggling in your career, remember that it is never too late to develop new skills.  Focus on skills that will help you become successful.  Have confidence in your value.  Eliminate procrastination.  Do one thing each day to build your skills.  Each year, your skills will grow through the daily steps you have taken to become a more valuable professional.