Talent

John Lennon once famously said: "I don't believe in talent."  Maybe he was being clever.  But I think I know what he meant.  Everyone has talent.  Everyone is creative.  Everyone is unique.  Everyone has an amazing potential just waiting to be tapped.


As Dirk Diggler reminds us, we all have at least one special thing we are good at! And we're probably good at things we don't even know we're good at.  I think sometimes it just comes down to passion.


When someone says they don't have talent for something, I think what they really mean is they don't want to fully commit, they aren't fully aligned, or confident in their abilities.  It's sort of an excuse or cop-out. 

"I'd really like to sing, (or play the piano, or master chess, or whatever...), but I just don't have a talent for it."

I think what we mean when we say we don't have a particular talent is that it doesn't come easy, and we're not gonna try, or if we try, we not gonna be serious about it, or really commit to it, if it isn't easy, we're not gonna make an effort, and it's not really aligned with how we see ourselves.


I think that "talented people" are really just people who have found something they love to do and have fully committed to it.  Maybe they have the right physical attributes, or particular personality traits that give them a leg up on others, but it's not just natural ability, it's a full immersion into the process of "doing it."

This isn't to deny that there are extra-ordinary people who have extra-ordinary skills, or extra-ordinary physical attributes.  For these people certain things will come easily and naturally.  Mozart had something special going for him.  Shaquille O'Neal was gifted with a perfect basketball frame.  Jeff Buckley or Roy Orbison had freaky cool vocal ranges.


But when it comes to the creative arts, we all pretty much have the tools necessary to do our thing.  We all have to work with our biological limits, but creative imagination can transcend all difficulties.  I think it comes down to fully aligning yourself heart/head/spirit!  

And tuning out those voices telling you you just aren't "talented enough." The club of talent is a soul-destroying myth!