I listened to a fantastic Radiolab short last evening while making dinner. Malcolm Gladwell spoke at the 92nd Street Y about the idea of "gifted and talented".
I was especially intrigued with the idea of interest and motivation that he talks about. If you are intensely interested in something, and you have the means to experience it often and practice and your teachers and other adults are encouraging you, isn't it inevitable that you're going to get quite good at it? Especially if it matches up with your natural learning style, I think. Perhaps there is such a thing as natural talent, and there is also such a thing as motivaton and support.
people think natural talent means you are automatically excellent at something, that it's easy for you .. but many successful artists/writers/scientists/etc. had to work hard at their "natural" talent all their lives!
ReplyDeletewhat good is a talent without motivation and support?