I do not know, how about you, but I was for certain period hardly fighting inside of my head with this question. As I think it can be crucial for our success in the life and in any way, I decided to put more insight into that with my article. I hope you will find some relevant and helpful information in there. It is also my first post om my website by the way.  I am very happy and excited to share it with you. So, what is more important, talent or hard work?

Let’s have a look.

With the early ages I was pretty sure that hard work can bring you success in all areas, despite missing talent. Maybe the slightly puritinical education influenced me. From teachers, parents, trainers, so the persons that were forming my education at that time.

Later, I was almost sure, that my talent, what I was given would be definitely enough. And rather to be focused on getting better, there were times, thanks god, short times, where I chose to go out with my friends, rather than improve myself.

(Of course I am doing it now, time-to-time, but the length and intensity, as well as, timing is much more wiser;-)

Nowadays I finally realise, how wrong I was in both of the statements.

Big surprise?

Because I think, and according my recent results I had it proven, that they can not exist without each other. They are like black and white stripes on zebra. Have you seen any zebras without stripes? It is like day and night. They can not exist without each other.

In other words, if you would work hard, but would miss the basic talent in the certain area, you are trying to succeed, not you would not, but you may lose a lot of time in better case. In worse case you might experience burn-out.

If , on the other hand, you are relying too much on your talent, you would not go any further either. You might feel good, comfortable, even achieve short success, but in longer terms, without hard work the success won’t be possible. Because there would come that day or occasion where your talent, just won’t be enough. Trust me, I know what I am talking about here.

Why people think hard work is enough?

As I mentioned already in my case, it was the surroundings responsible for a believe, that I would need to first work hard on everything to achieve what I would love to have. Wake up early, work all day, pretty much every day hard and long hours, which makes you tired enough to not have time for any of your hobbies nor your friend, save money which are left and on the one-two days off relax.

I transferred the idea of working hard to the example of adult person. But those principles are kids learning from the early days. At least in the area I grow up, in most of the cases though.

The idea of working hard is not bad in its purpose, the problem is if you work hard on the things you are not good it, so let’s say you don’t have a talent for! And as wel as, that on many things you don’t have to work “hard” if you work smart;-)

Take as an example that you are having talent to sing, you posses beautiful, husky voice and can feel the melody but you wish to be successful soccer player instead. So you would spend hours, days, weeks maybe even years on training hard to become one.

Attending fitness studio, running and training with good level team in your local area. In order to be more successful you might even search for famous players to have a chat with them, how to improve.

Or you might watch videos, read articles and all other things about it. But this is just a theory, in practice you will improve just a bit.

If, you are lacking talent you will never achieve the success you wish. Even you want it so much and despite that you will experience disappointment.

Will not be better to develop your singing talent and doing soccer as a hobby? That’s what for example Robbie Williams did, thanks god for many women, otherwise they are short of one of their idols.

Another type of person is using working hard in employment for example as alibi. ”I am working long hours and I don’t have time to think on how to do it more efficiently. And I am OK with that”. If they do job what they don’t like, they are lying to themselves, they are just afraid to change or change their stereotypes.

They manipulate their brain into that, some maybe would like to have more time for travelling, their friends or hobbies, but they are confused, because they don’t know how, as they live in the way they used to and think that feel the confusion, sadness, unfulfillment is alright.

If, you chose to be unhappy, then maybe yes. But there are people who know that it goes the other way around. Fortunately enough, still more and more people are searching and finding the new ways how to make it work.

Why people think talent is enough?

There is another extreme. Those are people with the certain given talent who think that, it might be enough and they stop developing it. Work on it. Rather, they might choose to doing activities which are bringing them more pleasure.

Like playing PC games, watching TV, or partying with their friends. And why no? If they know that they were always performing on certain level, even without training on improvement.

As mentioned for some short period it can be enjoyable. To do what you like, in day of your performance act sufficient and then again do just the pleasant daily activities. The problem becomes after while.

Because soon or later it will become boring for you. Not mentioning the fact that around you might be people with less talent than you, but with more will to improve. And those people will get over you. They will overtake you. Because they will be driving on highway, while you are still on your easy city road speed.

You will be just wondering, how that could happen? You were having so much talent than he. Why he is already further? Earning more money, or performing at higher level, eventually overtaking your position? Because that person was improving his or her talent while you were enjoying the pleasant moments on PC for example.

Tough? Maybe, but it is happening. I have some ex-team mates who are playing soccer and they became stars, but I do have as well ex-team mates out of the same team, who are not playing soccer anymore, and not because of an injury.

That’s way some people falling into conviction, that talent is enough. It is comfortable. Opinions like: I did it perfect yesterday, today I don’t have to train or improve. When it was perfect yesterday it will be also in the next week, those opinions are just wrong. Remember, doesn’t matter how much talent you posses at the beginning, if you stop developing it, you won’t be successful.

Why am I writing this article actually? In first instance, because if you would like to use your full potential, you have to know where is your talent. You need to know in which field or area you should spend your energy on activities, which will improve your skills.

And secondly, because lately, there are too many people spending their energy on activities they can not bring the best out of themselves. They might be working in 40 hours/week job, but come home so exhausted that they don’t have a power for nothing else and some people might think, that this way, it is normal the normal way.

Well, it isn’t. And those people maybe just don’t know where they talent is, or they just don’t know, that work on the things you are having talent and feeling passion for, you may long, even 60 hours/week and you won’t feel so exhausted like in case before.

What is the conclusion?

If I would like somehow close the topic, and answer the question: What is more important, talent or hard work, I would have to say, that for your success, you would need to have both. Hard work as well as talent.

Working hard, long hours, eventually having 2 or 3 jobs at the same time, in fields you are not good, won’t guarantee you success. You will feel busy and most likely unhappy. Because there will be not time left for your hobbies or for your love ones.

To work on the things you do like, will make you happy. If, you are possessing as well the talent for those activities, and if you are able to work on it with persistence for certain time, it would make you fell happy and if the certain circumstances would meet, eventually you can become successful.

The ideal scenario could be, the person who was working hard at insufficient and unfulfilling job, without usage of the biggest portion of her/his talent, quit this tasks and turn to do activity where his/her talent will be used. Because he or she is bringing the habits of hard worker into those new activity.

The ingredient, so important if you want develop your passion into your business. It is basically circle, so if you want to be successful, you would need to do stuff, in which you are good in, doing those activities is fulfilling you and you become happy. To make it sound less complicated to you, find your talent and work hard on developing it.

This is essential for your happiness, fulfillment and success in any area of your life.

And how to find your talent?

Just keep your eyes and ears open. Because, by receiving feedback from others you can guess in which area is hidden the biggest portion of your talent.

What are the topics you are receiving the most questions from the surrounding people? Do they ask you what you were cooking as a last dish, even they are asking you for some advice on their cooking? Then you have obviously talent in cooking.

Do they ask you how to repair motor in their car? Which oil to use? Then you might be thinking in opening your car service. It is still profitable business. And it will be, until people will drive their cars.

Do you know what I mean?

Try to find your talent! You can start your own business, almost with any activity. What is the activity you need less time like others and the results are bigger like by the others? That is where you are having your talent on. Sometimes unfortunately the discovery of your talent is not enough.

There are people who found their talent, but they find out that this activity is not making them happy, tasks they work on are not fulfilling. In that case you need to answer the question by yourself. Is there a chance it will change and you find joy by doing it, or is it definite?

If, you already know it is definite, maybe you should search further, until your talent is linked with the passion. If your talent is linked with your passion, then you can congratulate yourself. You will automatically work hard on developing it. And then if you would be patient enough, the success would be just question of the time.

If you read the article, leave me please some comment in order to help me grow. Also let me know how are your experiences with using your talent or hard work. Thank you and

Best luck!