Why Not Just Try Harder To Get Ahead? The Effort vs. Talent Debate
Ever thought about simply trying harder to succeed? It seems straightforward, right? Well, let’s explore if pushing yourself more is really a key to success.
I must admit, I’m not exactly bursting with talent. Take math, for example; it baffled me so much that I quit after Trigonometry in my sophomore year of high school, deciding I didn’t need it since engineering wasn’t in my future. My tennis serve? Average at best. And despite owning an acoustic guitar for a decade, I still struggle with the fingerpicking needed for songs like Eddie Vedder’s “Just Breathe.”
Writing articles is tough, too, despite my experience since 2009. One of my blog posts took over 10 hours to write. Who spends that much time on an article when they could be relaxing on a tropical beach? Well, someone like me, who has to double-check everything from math to grammar.
Surviving Being Average
Despite my limitations, I’ve managed to lead a happy life. I’m not a top tennis player, but I can place a serve well. I argue that genetics greatly influence happiness. As a broke college student abroad, I was thrilled to be studying on just $300 a month. And when working in the high-energy environment of Wall Street, I was always excited.
But what about effort? Does it matter more than talent when it comes to succeeding? Whenever I face challenges, I push myself to try harder.
Effort Is More Important Than Talent For Success
Imagine being a giant at 7’1″ and 300 pounds but doing nothing valuable despite your physical advantages. Perhaps you’re drafted into the NBA based on potential but flop because you didn’t practice enough. Or, consider someone incredibly smart who scores perfectly on the SATs without trying but flounders academically due to laziness.
On the flip side, there are countless individuals who, despite language barriers and cultural adjustments, excel in top U.S. universities. It baffles me how natural-born Americans, fluent in English from the start, can be outperformed by those who seemingly start at a disadvantage.
Many talented individuals never meet their potential. It’s almost a curse to be highly talented, as it comes with heavy expectations. When pressure mounts, it’s easy to fall short.
Getting Ahead With Simple Math
Let’s rate ‘getting ahead in life’ on a scale from 1 to 10, and define Talent as anything that doesn’t require effort—like luck or your family’s wealth. In a pessimistic view, Talent accounts for 49% and Effort for 51%. But realistically, I believe Effort is 80% of why people succeed, making Talent only 20%.
Talent Also Requires No Effort
In the realistic scenario, if you’re 20% talented and give your full effort, you’re set to succeed. Even if you give only half your effort, you can still make considerable progress due to your talent.
Try Harder To Get Ahead If You Want
Pursuing wealth is straightforward: provide more value than you cost, and you’ll accumulate enough to be content. Arrive early and stay late at work, and you’ll likely find success.
The definition of ‘rich’ varies widely. Some see it as owning multiple cars and homes, while others are content with a backpack and the freedom to travel.
Effort Makes A Difference
I’ve seen firsthand how critical effort is. Writing thousands of words weekly and researching on weekends can pay off significantly. Practicing tennis or any skill consistently also yields results.
We have to go out and earn our success. Rarely does someone get by on talent alone without putting in the effort. Even in seemingly effortless careers, such as modeling, learning and maintaining skills are vital for longevity.
Let’s use our abilities to the fullest. If effort counts for more than half of our success, we have the power to shape our futures. How do you plan to use your effort this summer? Why not try harder to achieve your goals, knowing that effort doesn’t require any special skills? What do you think is the right mix of effort and talent needed to succeed?
