“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.”
– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
There is a big difference between talent and skill. Anyone can develop a skill, but not everyone is blessed with talent. Often we confuse the two.
Talent is a gift. It’s a natural ability to do something that most others are unable to accomplish. We are blessed with talent. Someone who has talent has the ability to exercise it to enhance their work. Talent can take you places – sometimes scary places. In fact, talent can take us to places our character may not be ready to experience. Talent is a wonderful thing when it’s used properly, not abused, and maximized by the person who is lucky enough to own this special gift.
Skill, however, is a learned ability. It can be improved with practice, work, and effort. Skill comes from our knowledge and effort. It’s something attainable for anyone committed enough to put in the time and the reps to get better.
We are not all blessed with the same talents. In fact, some of us are forced to rely on our skill and hustle to get us through because we do not have as much talent as the next guy. I have been blessed to work with some amazingly talented people over the course of my life. All too often, really talented people drift off, losing sight of their goals and solely relying on the talents they have. They stop preparing as much and don’t do the work that others – who are not blessed with the same talents – have to do in order to succeed, simply because they know that their talent can cover their sins.
But, what if we committed to being a creative community that refused to take our talents for granted and were committed to refining them everyday? What if we committed to treating our talents like gifts and put in the extra work to increase our knowledge and develop these gifts? What if we committed to continuously develop and refine our gifts so that we could not only be talented, but also skilled.
What if we choose today to be our absolute best so that we can regain our position in culture as the leaders in creativity? Not because we could, but because we are called.
Solid post dude
Yeah I’ve def taken advantage of my talent…
a good way for me to fight temptation is to not always listen to people that praise me. Its good for a season, but too much makes this prideful guy laaazzzy. Feel me?
As far as refining my skills, tutorials are king in my realm. Also designing to design. For the love of it.
i love that…designing for the “LOVE OF IT”. We should always do what we do for the love. that is great.
Get it! “Talent can take you places – sometimes scary places. In fact, talent can take us to places our character may not be ready to experience.” I’ve heard you say this before and it always makes me think. Love that idea and how it applies to artist who may not be ready to take the plunge onto the big stage but do anyways. Most of the time character has to catch up or the artist fails big in front of a bunch of people.
SO TRUE. We are responsible to protect some of the young people we have been blessed to get to speak into their lives.
I love this post. I’ve started following you thanks to David Santistevan. This post I think is somewhat of a snapshot in where our current culture is. I feel like many talented Christians are tired of having crappy media and subpar arts. Christian music has come a long way lately and some churches are putting out some amazing videos. Thanks for a great post!
Jason, so glad you are following! If this is where we are…we need people like you to help us break out of this place. Lets go!
Great Post man! Hit’s home on many different levels for me. My Dad always taught me that I have to work harder…There is always someone out there who wants it more! There is no easy detour for “Hard Work.” Thanks for sharing!
Your dad was SO right.
if we were all hands, we could not walk!
Stout stuff, man.
Thank you for this great reminder / wake up call. These were the words I needed to hear in regards to how I go about preparing and communicating sermons.
Dude, my thoughts on talent have been ruined after reading Malcom Gladwell’s “Outliers” and “Talent Is Overrated” by Geoff Colvin. I almost tend to think it doesn’t exist. I’m a big fan of good ‘ole hard work and developing skill. Great thoughts, my friend.
I become afraid to dream big and pray boldly when I believe I’ll get what I ask for and seek. Very much a “being thrown onto a stage I am not capable of reaching” like Matty Wayne talked about. It boils down to two things for me.
1. Fear of failure
2. Lack of trust/faith
But that’s where talent and/or skill will take us if we allows ourselves to be used. We are called to grow, ourselves and those around us. An encouraging word today, great post B.
One of my talents is taking complex information and sharing it with others in a simple way that allows the person to apply it directly to their lives. In a class setting I use a white board to draw out the information visually so it is easier to be grasped. To develop that talent further, I got the book “The Back fo the Napkin” by Dan Roam. Your article was confirmation that I’m headed in the right direction. Thanks!