Talent Doesn’t Always Predict Success

Natural talent doesn’t always lead to success. Think of those rising stars who when the going got tough decided to drop out or quit? Because they didn’t give themselves the chance to reach their potential.
The difference between success and failure is GRIT, according to author Angela Duckworth. Grit is made up of two parts, these being passion and perseverance. High achievers demonstrate a few things that set them apart. Firstly, they have unwavering determination. Secondly they are unusually resilient and hardworking. Their end goal gives them crystal clear direction. Nothing stops these driven, hyper focused individuals. Because they always find a way!
Distracted By Talent
Are you in awe of exceptional talent? Well, without effort, talent will only get you so far. Encouraging right? You don’t have to be the brightest or the most talented. Being the hardest working can set you apart. Not a new idea, in 1869, Francis Galton, a child prodigy read and wrote by age 4. He published a study on high achievement. Galton concluded “Outliers”, or people who stand out, are remarkable because they demonstrate unusual ability with exceptional zeal and capacity for hard work.
Speed of Learning
How big a factor is talent? It may contribute to learning a skill more quickly when you put in the effort. Consider two people in the same situation. What each person achieves depends on two things, talent and effort. Quickly learning a skill helps, that's where talent comes in. Interestingly though, effort factors into success twice as much as talent. Angela Duckworth says; “effort builds skill and makes skill productive”.
A Testament to the Power of Effort and Hard Work
by Will Smith
“The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is: I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked, period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me. You might be all of those things. You got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on the treadmill together, there’s two things: You’re getting off first, or I’m going to die. It’s really simple."
Will Smith knows when it comes to this thing called life, effort counts!
He points out "the separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours of beating on your craft”.
How "Gritty" Are You?
When we became involved with Six Figure Mentors (SFM) we didn’t know how to create a video or a blog. What was a blog anyway? The thought of being ”out there” on a video was terrifying. It took courage to face our fears. We took a leap of faith into the unknown. Remember grit is about passion and perseverance. These two things will help move you forward. Keep breaking through barriers, the learning curve is steep.
We watched the 7 free videos and we encourage you to do the same. Our eyes were opened to a whole new world. Getting out of our comfort zone was step one. It took effort and determination. Skills we didn’t have before became second nature. Practice - Practice - Practice! Crystal clear focus keeps us moving forward. Fun, adventure and time freedom is our reward.
Do you have what it takes to push through the steep learning curve? Supreme effort, hard work and determination is key. A zeal for life helps too.
Know you are not alone. You're surrounded by a community of like-minded individuals all on the same journey, all willing to help you with yours. Looking forward to helping you achieve the life you have always imagined.

Adrienne & Bob
We are digital entrepreneurs who took a courageous leap to start our online business. We have owned an executive recruitment company for over twenty years. The industry is being rapidly disrupted by technology. As a result of the skills we have learned our recruitment business is 100% virtual. Both of our businesses allow us flexibility to work when and where we want and do the things we enjoy.