Talent vs Hard Work

A 10-year old girl asked me yesterday if I was better than everyone else in my class at music when I was her age. I answered honestly and told her that I believe I was pretty average. The reason I am working with music today is that I didn't quit. I loved music too much to ever quit. Talent can only take you so far, what matters in the long run is how hard you work for something.

I am not saying I have no talent in music whatsoever. I am saying that I did not get to where I am without hard work. And, to go back to the original question - was I way better than everyone else my age at music when I was 10? Did people around me believe that I would be the next Mozart? No. I probably had a better ear than some. I am good at hearing a melody and figuring out how to play it on the piano for example. That has helped. But, if I had put no work into music I would not be where I am at.

The people we see win the Olympics do not show up without having trained. They have talent in using their bodies to run, swim, do gymnastics, or whatever their area of competing is - but they do not lean on that talent alone. They do not get to the level of the Olympics without proper and constant training.

Even though you have talent in something, if you truly want to be great in that area, you will also have to work hard.

Are you following your dreams? Don't quit - keep moving forward!

~ Lydia