The way I remember it, the first time I sat down at a typewriter, it was as if my fingers knew exactly what to do. QWERTY was like ABC, to me, and before long, I was speedily clicking away, like I was born with the talent. Sadly, secretarial skills are not a sexy or lucrative natural gift. I’d much prefer being a great composer, tennis player or astrophysicist, and that brings me to, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. What does that mean, anyway? The proverb, dating back to 1546, advises us to resist the urge to look at a gift’s price tag, in this case, the teeth of a horse, which was a sure way to determine its age and therefore its value. But is there really such a thing as inborn talent?
K. Anders Ericsson [1], who has made a career studying extraordinary people, writes that what’s more important than talent, is our willingness and ability to work harder than everyone else.
Check back tomorrow for the announcement of a new CONTEST.
Image: Galloping horse using a series of photos shot by Eadweard Muybridge in 1878.