Reflections on Talent

First, what actually is a talent?  What if someone can spit a watermelon seed ten feet?  Is that a talent?  Or eat a hot dog in seven seconds?  Or make a funny face?  Or whistle a pretty tune?

 

Next, do you have to have a talent all the time in order to be talented.  If you are good at running but you have a bad knee, are you still talented?  What if you can only spit watermelon seeds in the morning?  What if you can only write sitting on the toilet seat?  Or sing only in the shower?  Are you still talented?

 

Next, how many people need to certify you are talented?  Five, seven, twenty three?  What if you only hang out with five people?  Maybe two would be enough to certify a talent.  Or if you are on TV you might need 10,000 to certify your talent.  What if you are the only one who sees your talent?  Does it still exist?  What number is a good number to determine that you are talented?

 

What if you have to study and practice a lot?  Is it a talent or just hard work? Does a “natural talent” exist if you have to work at it?  If working at it is ok, how many hours a week can you work at it and still have it be a “natural talent”?

 

I’m getting tired now.  It’s a lot of work defining talent.  I don’t think I have any talent unless constantly searching and questioning can be a talent. Hmmm.

 

Lee