February 1
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I could never do that. I'm not that talented.
-A myth stopping the journey before it can even begin...
The word "talent" gets tossed around a lot. Especially in music, but in the other arts and athletics too.
The world's perception of talent creates problems.
Talent is something you are born with. That part is true. But, people aren't born musicians. They aren't born athletes either.
You can be born tall. That's sort of a talent. You can be born with the capability of hearing frequencies most people can't. That's also a talent.
When you hear a world-class pianist, or watch a world-class athlete perform, you are not witnessing talent. You are witnessing the culmination of an incredible amount of time and energy spent building skills.
A terrific read on this topic is The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. Coyle explores how the most talented people in the world became that way through deep practice. A system. Not an other-worldly natural "talent."
When people give up on trying something because they believe they aren't talented, they are selling themselves short. Because talent means nothing. Perhaps some catch on faster than others. But, anyone can build a skill by showing up again, and again, and again.
Similarly, referring to someone as being monumentally talented writes off the hours, weeks, months, and years they have poured into attaining a high level of performance.
With a skill-building approach, anyone can learn the piano. By showing up again and again, anyone can be a great athlete. With a growth mindset, you can be anything you want to be.
It just takes building skills. Not talent. So let's roll up our sleeves and do something amazing.
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For parents, students, and anyone else who believes that music can and should be a meaningful part of everyone's life.
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