Talent
 

I'm unable to define talent, but I know that it is much more than an illusion.

Perhaps yes, it's 15% talent to the 85% hard work, and we need to stress this because many beginners, want instant success, but without talent you get mechanics. I studied piano for years. I'm very good at reading, fingering, playing all the right notes, but there is no soul to the sound. I'm a mechanic. The idea of singing, thrills me, the desire is there, but trust me.... all the lessons in the world will not make me a singer. But when I paint, something happens, some instinct takes over on those special, "in the zone" days. And the more I paint the more often this zone thing happens.

I think of talent as a seed.......without tilling the soil, watering weeding and sunlight, it will remain a seed. But I can till, weed, mulch and water the dirt all I want and without the seed, I'll just have a nice bed.

Thanks John and ReNae;

By the way ReNae, I'm a deep bass singer, I sing Opera and my teachers liked it very much when I was studying, that's so easy to me. Maybe I should spend more time on the stage.

Brilliantly put!

Claudemir,

Sing your heart out.

Yes, it is!

I will.

Of course, there is that statement (by whom, I don't know) that says talent/genius is 1 percent inspiration, and 99 percent perspiration.

Talent
 

Hi Claudemir,

I just found this very interesting thread, thanks for starting it. I think there must be something to what we are calling 'talent'. Here is my example:

I have two children, my son understands math very well. His teachers tell me he can 'see' relationships between numbers, he grasps concepts quickly and then takes that concept "11 steps further" according to one of his teachers. He can also 'see' things easily in three dimensions from a blueprint or diagram. I would say he has talent in math.

My daughter does okay in math. She understands what they teacher her, most of the time. But she has a gift for language, she can write poetry, she can express herself beautifully.

These two different strengths (should we call them 'talents'?) have been proven by standardized testing at their school, so it's not just a mother's opinion.

So, I think there is something to 'talent'. But perhaps 'talent' is just a 'strength'? The ability to convert what we see in 3-D onto paper is certainly an aptitude that I'm not sure can be learned. That must be a strength we are born with. And I also believe certain people are born with certain strengths, we didn't practice math with our son just as we didn't read more to our daughter. He is 10 and she's 14, so we have a lot of history to go on. In other words, they're not toddlers.

But, and here is the but . . . if my son were never to open a math book or do his homework, he wouldn't get much better at math. Just as an artist that is blessed with certain strengths, aptitudes or talents, won't improve without the drive to learn, practice, study, listen and experiment. And not just the drive, but all those things must be put into practice. An artist must practice, study, etc. . .

That's what I believe anyway. I've seen that people are born with different strengths because I see it in my children.

I hope these thoughts add another piece to your puzzle Claudemir.

Joan

Thanks very much Joan and Richard.

Joan Congrats on your kids.

I'v been thinking a lot about gifted people these days because I want to learn Math.

Math
 

Hi Claudemir,

I'm a little embarrased, I wasn't looking for congratulations for my kids. I was just trying to point out that different people have different strengths, or talents.

For some I think it must be drawing, for some it's math. Personally, I'm glad it's drawing for me and not math! But then again, if it were math I would probably be off somewhere solving equations! And enjoying it. Oh, and possibly even getting paid for it. :)

Joan