#153, Talent
Some people are just talented. You hear their mellifluous voice or catch a glimpse of spare sketch in their notebook or watch them fearlessly deliver a speech and think, "If only I were so lucky. Why wasn't I born with such sublime genetic code?" It is human nature to see characteristics in others we ourselves wish we possessed.
You are either born with talent or without it. Or, so many of us have come to believe.
Anders Ericsson, a psychologist and researcher from Florida State University, found this to be untrue. Stars are not born. Stars are made. For more than 30 years, Mr. Ericsson and his colleagues studied individuals who excel in their field. They performed interviews and conducted lab experiments to find out how these individuals became so talented. He notes,
We actually find that with the right kind of training, any individual will be able to acquire abilities that were previously viewed as only attainable if you had the right kind of genetic talent. Perhaps talent is not simply something we are born with. It can be attained with deliberate, purposeful practice.
It is a rather inspiring thought, isn't it? Talent can be acquired by mere practice. That melodic singing voice isn't just a pipe dream. Talent comes in all forms whether it be related to music, athletics, the arts, academics, or something else altogether. So many of you have hidden talents that your peers know nothing about. This week, let's bring those talents to light.
To complete this Journal response, address the following:
Describe one of your talents and how you developed it. Bragging is welcome!
Comment on a peer's response.
-Brenden Lee Teacher