Talent itself is Worthless (In fact, it may be less than that)
Talent is revered in our society, but ultimately the title means nothing. Talent is about upside, potential, ability. When we say someone is talented, we’re suggesting that they are able to do great things in the future. Talent in and of itself doesn’t tell us anything real. “Untalented” people have made incredible achievements and extremely talented people have lived lives of complete mediocrity. Talent is lightning in a bottle, revealing itself in fits and spurts and tantalizing onlookers with the fantasy of what they may possibly someday witness. In fact, it can be a burden. People who keep being told how talented they are must overcome a unique challenge that goes against every natural instinct — renouncing every bit of praise they’ve ever received and surrendering themselves to the regimented, unsexy practice of their chosen skill.
Talent is fuel. It is potential energy waiting for a spark and oxygen to turn into a fire. That spark is motivation, the divine inspiration that sets off the reaction. Oxygen is discipline, which must be constantly present to keep the flame burning. But if you only have fuel and oxygen and a spark, all you have is a uncontrolled raging fire. You need an engine, a machine to harness the fire’s power to turn it into something. This machine, a good process, is the final component needed to turn raw talent, fuel, into forward momentum.
