Talent is overrated: A fresh perspective on notion of “talent” and priceless lessons in what it really takes to get good.
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Prerequisites
LOVE of music and the discipline to study and practice the right things the right way.
Lesson Goals
To do two things: Make the student aware of possible blind spots in their self-awareness while at the same time making them aware of their latent talents and potential.
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What is Smart? (A Human View of Intelligence)
An invitation to embrace a profoundly human definition of “smart”–an intelligence that thinks, feels, and does in service to a meaningful life!
Let’s begin our journey by putting a poisonous, human-potential-stifling myth to rest.
Contrary to the IQ fundamentalist view… that intelligence is biologically-determined and fixed over time… all reputable research shows that intelligence is adaptable and expandable with the right kind of effort. In other words, if you use your brain the right way and expose your brain to the right stuff, you get smarter.
The you-either-have-it-or-you-don’t school views intelligence in very narrow terms (with a strong bias towards analytical skills that are readily measured using things such as an IQ test) and ignores (or rejects) the crucially important fact that human beings have something called agency.
Agency means that we can, if we so choose, play an active role in the learning process… by seeking knowledge, evaluating knowledge, constructing knowledge, and applying knowledge. Analytical skills are important, but so are many other assets (do I dare to call them talents?)… such as honesty, curiosity, imagination, creativity, conviction, perseverance, passion, empathy, resilience, and devotion, to name but a few.
In this broader view, the most authentic measure of intelligence is the degree to which one is successful at living a meaningful life.
Successfully intelligent people are causes, not merely products. They recognize their strengths and weaknesses and use flexible strategies to achieve their dreams given the unique context of their own lives, with all its blessings and burdens. As such, there is no single definition of “success” and therefore no single way to define or measure “smart”.
In summary, intelligence is not some fixed, measurable quantity. Intelligence is not an essence; Intelligence is a process… an eminently human process in search of meaning… interacting with and influencing one’s world in service to one’s authentic dreams.
Intelligence, in the most profound sense, is an attitude toward this mysterious opportunity called life.
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“Talent”: It’s Just a Six-Letter Word
There’s no doubt that people differ in levels of expertise and performance in various fields that most consider to be extremely difficult: music, art, sports, chess, calculus, quantum physics… to name but a few.
But I cringe every time I hear the word “talent” used as a label. Because doing so can do great harm in many ways. Two ways come immediately to mind: First, labeling someone as “talented” risks discounting their hard-won accomplishments. And second, labelling someone as “untalented” risks inviting them to quit before even trying.
And there is a widespread belief that there are a rare few individuals who “have it” and a vast majority of ordinary people who “don’t”. Those who are deemed to “have it” are considered special, fundamentally different from the rest. They are called “gifted”, “talented”, “geniuses”, “naturals”. What are we mere mortals, those of us without exceptional IQs, perfect pitch, photographic memories, exquisite hand-eye coordination, and no fear of being on stage supposed to do?
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Labeling Theory (The Talent Trap)
It’s a huge mistake to define “talent” only in terms of performance rather than potential…
A mistake to define “talent” only in terms of inherited predispositions rather than the capacity to learn…
to define “talent” only in terms of narrowly-defined capabilities rather than a view of the whole person. What, for example, is the fruit of categorizing people based on an IQ test?
to define “talent” only in terms of observable skills rather than character traits. Why are curiosity, enthusiasm, industry, sensitivity, passion, empathy, discipline, courage, perseverance, honesty, kindness, compassion, and optimism not considered talents?
to use the word “talent” to discount or diminish the hard-won accomplishments of successful people.
and to use one’s supposed lack of “talent” as a crutch in order to justify one’s lack of accomplishment.
Furthermore, making this mistake has crucial implications per the power of self-fulfilling prophecy.
On the one hand, those labeled “untalented” may believe that effort is pointless and give up before even trying. They may believe that they are not special and therefore not worthy of doing important things. Even worse, they may believe they are not special and therefore not responsible for doing important things.
On the other hand, even those labeled “talented” and who are accorded special attention and opportunities are in danger. Because those who are rewarded for their “talents” may adapt their behavior to maintain such rewards–a dependency on extrinsic motivation that is unsustainable and not typically in their interest. Furthermore, being labeled “talented” may make one a slave to one’s gifts–by instilling expectations that lead to unhealthy perfectionism and competition. Finally, believing that things should come easily to them may lead to depression and despair as even “the biggest talents” discover their limitations.
Furthermore, “giftedness” often masks “disabilities” as “disabilities” often mask “giftedness”.
As you can see, labeling people as “talented” (or not) has profound implications for everyone.
Performance is easy to see, but seeing potential takes love and commitment. Perhaps that is why “talent” seems so rare. The reality is that most talents, however big or small, are latent– waiting to be discovered and nurtured given the opportunity and right kind of support.
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The HUGE Takeaway
“The real gift isn’t talent; the real gift is LOVE.” ~ fjp
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