Talent is overrated
Have you ever felt like you just weren’t born with “it”?
Like you aren’t particularly good at anything, and there is nothing really to showcase or be proud of?
If you are feeling this way right now, let’s take three minutes to completely shift that mindset.
When we think about “talent,” we usually picture the people around us who seem to excel effortlessly. We start learning something new, feel completely clumsy at it, and immediately compare ourselves to a friend who is already miles ahead.
We do this subconsciously, making ourselves feel smaller and smaller.
By constantly comparing our beginnings to someone else’s middles, we convince ourselves that we are fundamentally untalented and that we will never be good enough.
But here is the truth: you will never win the comparison game. There will always be someone smarter, faster, better, more creative, or cooler than you.
Because we love to compare, we quickly put ourselves in a box. We label ourselves as “hopeless” or “untalented” just to cope with the gap between us and others.
But if we look at it objectively, where does talent actually come from? If you ask the people who are incredibly good at what they do, is it really just a magical gift they were born with?
Most likely, the answer is no.
What we perceive as “talent” is usually just an immense amount of hard work happening behind closed doors.
When no one is watching, when there is no applause, they keep practicing—simply because they love doing it.
And when that love evolves into an obsession, everything changes.
When you reach the level of obsession, you stop caring about outside validation. You don’t care about the likes, the views, or saving face.
Obsession makes you beautifully numb to the things that usually hold you back. You become fiercely protective of your time and mindfulness, not because you are selfish, but because you are genuinely curious to see how far you can grow.
What happens when you are obsessed:
Time dissolves: You stop counting hours. You don’t care about “optimal productivity windows” because you are having too much fun.
Resilience becomes automatic: You don’t give up when things get messy or when plans fall apart. The friction doesn’t stop you; it challenges you.
You build a thick skin: You realise you aren’t doing this for anyone else’s approval. You are doing it for yourself.
What we perceive as “talent” is usually just an immense amount of hard work happening behind closed doors.
So, if you feel small right now because you think you lack talent, or if you feel stuck in life due to a “skill issue,” consider this:
Maybe you don’t lack talent. Maybe you just haven’t found something to be obsessed with yet.
You don’t need to be a prodigy.
You just need to care enough about something that you are willing to lose yourself in the process of mastering it.
I hope you find this inspiring. Remember:
It’s not going to be easy, but it’s not impossible.
Your friend,
Brian.
Ps. This was a recreation of a blog post I wrote in 2023.