Lack of natural talent and how far can hard work get you

[apurviance]

I believe that "talent" is a term used by people who don't want to try hard or scary things. They wish for a magical solution. As the old saying goes, if you enjoy what you're doing it doesn't feel like work. But, you also have to try things outside your comfort zone and get those mistakes out of your system or you'll never get where you want to be.

I've heard it said that you can learn most skills and become very very good in about 10 years. That may seem like a long time, but it goes by fast once you start. Stay curious and try everything!

[yvettegustafsson]

Pewdiepie.

An example of how someone takes what he has and makes something of it, that people love. Is it creative? I don't know. Is it talent? I have no idea. It's all very subjective. But the definition of being creative is taking all the things you know about any given subject (doesn't have to be art, it could be sales, it could be building houses, it could be almost anything) and combine with your experiences in any other subject and making something new from it that makes sence or at least resonate with people. If you're good at that, what else could you call it than

talent.

Anything else is misunderstood genious or just plain dumb, I guess.

[eagle1]

Talent is the only explanation for some things. I have a talent for swords. I have no clue why, though my religion says it's residual skill from a past life. I tend to agree with that due to my affinity for things old and obsolete (I still put on a pocket watch and stick a handkerchief in my pocket every day, and I write with a fountain pen) as well as my love for history.

That is my only talent. The ability to pick up a sword and have an almost instinctual feel for how to use it. I have put that to some use for the various sword-based sports I have been involved in over a long and wasted life. But that has been the only use I could put it to. I am a big guy (6'2" and 240#) but still have the talent (and the skill I have added in this life) to comfortably fight against smaller, faster, more agile opponents (Stand still, Damn You!!).

Everything else in life that I have done has been due to skill. Everything else has to be done by study and practice rather than any natural bent towards it.

I have seen too many other examples of talent vs skill to not say it's a real thing.

However, as others here have stated, practice, skill, and study can overcome any innate advantage that talent gives others.

Eagle
(Anyone wanna fence? Best 2 outta 3?)

[Vikiro_Hop]

There is definitely natural talent, but I think its a bit overrated. For me I sucked worse than most people at pretty much everything. Writing was the only thing that ever came natural to me. In fact the only reason I started drawing in the first place was because I was bored in school, for a long time I wouldn't touch any drawing tools once the bell rang to go home. Slowly over time I just got better the same way everyone does. It became less about talent and more about creativity and dedication. I knew tons of people with more natural talent and absolutely no drive to do anything with it.

A lot the artists I look up to have said something similar to "You are going to suck for a long time and then eventually you get good." Which leads me to believe that most artists go through the same struggles. I think looking at age is a bit of a crap shoot, and not a reliable way to compare yourself to other artists. You aren't on a time limit and nobody is going to look at your art and think "wow that's cool, but shouldn't you be better by this age?" In the end offering content only you can give is much more important than chops. The most talented illustrator in the world won't get anywhere without creativity behind them.

In closing I think hard work can get you where you want if you know how to study and the will to do so. People have accomplished amazing things by just putting way too much work in.

[pottedlilgoree]

talent exists
some people work hard
some people work smart
you can ask the talented people on how to work smart though
so no worries - all is well