Talent is overrated

Ever heard of the saying “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard?” I first heard it said by basketballer, Kevin Durant though he isn’t the originator of the saying.

The book Talent is Overrated, centres around the saying, kind of. The author, Geoff Colvin, argues that greatness is the result of practice over decades of perseverance rather than a product of DNA, natural talent or some divine superpower.

And we are not talking just any kind of practice but deliberate practice. Otherwise, with all the more than 10,000 hours you have put into doing what you have been doing, either work or hobby-wise, you should be performing at world class status but you are not.

Take for instance, you have been walking for as long as you can remember, in fact, we are known as a walking nation, but how well would you perform at a walking race?

You may argue that certain aspects do give you advantage in certain things like height in a basketball game, this is what I say, talent or your genes might get you there, but it is practise that will keep you at the top.