It turns out that choices lead to habits.
Habits become talents.
Talents are labelled gifts.
You're not born this way, you get this way. – Seth Godin
As musicians we know this already although sometimes we act as if we have forgotten but the simple fact is the time you put in builds into habits and then we see these habits become ‘natural talent’.
I have always thought of the phrase ‘they are talented’ as a sort of get out, which overlooks the amount of sweat and commitment that someone has put in; when I see someone play I see the number of hours displayed in the performance.
For those who are outside of anything that requires continued practice and dedication the achievers are often thought of as ‘naturally gifted’ but as cellist Mstislav Rostropovich put it when asked about his genius he said it was one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration.
The by-product of the layperson’s attitude is the number of new pupils who turn up who do not realise the amount of practice time required to achieve the level that they aspire and for some it comes as a shock!
Vic
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