The Weight of Talent
There are a lot of interesting conversations on my radar about the expectations of talent. I’m currently reading Infinite Jest, which explores this through the lens of a junior tennis academy, I watched Andy Murray overcome the weight of expectations placed on him to win Wimbledon three years ago and build upon his legacy today, and three weeks ago I watched Lebron James fulfill every astronomical expectation placed upon him from the time he showed up in sports consciousness when he was a teenager. In Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace proposes talent is either something you fall short of or something you fulfill. Binary. We all feel this to some degree, self actualization and accomplishing what we feel we’re capable of or supposed to accomplish. In America, we are a very results driven culture. It’s not enough to just exist (happily even) or have a good process but poor results. We are an “at all costs” type of culture and people’s desperation to live up to expectations and the way they cope with coming up short and cope with the lack of fulfillment they feel after actually getting there is a fascinating albeit haunting subject. Breaking Bad is entirely about this subject.
Lebron has done everything that’s ever been asked of him, he’s fulfilled the promises of his talent. Why doesn’t he quit now? Is he entirely satisfied? Or is part of him gnawing at the idea of having fulfilled these promises better than he did or adding more achievements to his legacy?
Buzz Aldrin, one of the team of Apollo 11 astronauts who were the first people to walk on the moon, fell into depression and alcoholism and has been unable to put together a happy or successful life after his paramount achievement.
Don Draper, in an impassioned speech to a prospective customer, said “What is happiness? It’s a moment before you need more happiness”.
What is it about the way we look at achievement that prevents us from coping with failure when we fall short or even enjoying the ride and the rewards when we’re successful?
