The Myth of Talent

Often times we assume others are simply born with incredible talents but we forget about all the hours of hard work put in by those folks.  Matthew Syed author of “Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice” tells us that Mozart had practiced 3,500 hours by the time he was 6 (that’s like 5 hours per day everyday from age 4 to 6).  I think this helps remind us to do two things.  First, it can help us remember to more fully respect and admire those who have achieved high levels of success in their fields.  Secondly, we can reflect on our own work or hobbies and evaluate how much time and effort we’ve really put in to them.  Is there something you would like to be exceptional at?  How much time are you putting in to exceeding in that area?