Embrace Your Talents and Passion — Share Them With The World!

We hear it so many times going thru life. Nearly every day. And one reason why it is so important never to compare one child with another. We each are born with our own natural talents and flair for some things, while maybe feeling totally inept at others.

“That guy has a natural talent for playing baseball.”
“Her musical ability is a gift.”
“He/She has a natural aptitude for math and science.”
“That person has a gifted eye for photography.”
“That guy has a natural flair for public speaking.”
“She is naturally talented at fashion design.”

What is talent anyway? Generally, it is regarded as a special ability which someone is born with. A skill that someone seems to possess which allows them to do frequently difficult things more naturally and easier in one area than another person might be able to.

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say — ‘I used everything you gave me’.”

— Erma Bombeck

Nevertheless, as my parents always reminded me, talent alone is no substitute for hard work. Each of us is capable of doing pretty much anything we set our mind to. We may have to work harder at it and settle for “95% great” compared to someone with “gifted talent”, but great and to our own satisfaction just the same. Hard work beats natural talent every time, when talent doesn’t work hard. And if following our passion and doing something we love, it’s not “work” anyway.

Seek out and discover your natural talents and encourage children to do the same by exploring and trying their hand at a wide variety of activities. Everyone has a gift for something which allows them to be better and to excel in an area — be it sports, music, the arts, entertainment, science, cooking, parenting, teaching, and so many others. Or, simply just kindness and being there with a listening ear for others. Don’t minimize or discredit whatever may come naturally to you — it’s a gift.

Could Mother Teresa cook well or excel at soccer or painting? I have no idea, because no one ever mentions it — only her kindness, compassion and love. True gifts.

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?” — Benjamin Franklin

That being said, never let a perceived or described lack of talent ever stop you or your children from doing whatever it is you or they may want to do. Your heart will always show you the way. If you have a dominant, recurring thought in mind of something you want to do, listen and do it. Not doing something because “I don’t have any talent” is an excuse, not a reason.

“If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” — Michelangelo

Talent is nice to have, but it never makes up for heartfelt passion, dedicated effort and hard work to develop and grow the needed skills. Just ask the guitar player or artist born without arms and creating great works with their feet alone. If there is something you would really like to do or try — just do it. And if doing it makes only you happy, that’s all that counts. If it happens to benefit others along the way, even better.

So, if you are gifted with a natural talent, embrace it and share it with the world. But don’t let a perceived lack of talent in an area stop you. Follow your passion, put in the extra effort doing something you love and do it anyway. The world will be a better place because of it all.

Thanks as always for reading and visiting with us! Share your talents and abilities with the world, and be the reason someone smiles today! — Jim (and Red!)

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.” ― Roy T. Bennett, “The Light in the Heart”