I don’t know if I have a definitive answer for this, but I thought it might be an interesting topic to explore…so let’s explore.
I’m going to do my bit and then you’re going to go to the comment link at the bottom of this post and tell me what you think and why, and then hopefully we’ll have a bunch of different opinions. ..and a bit of fun.
Perhaps an argument!
Gotta love a little spirited debate.
We’ll see if we can come to some sort of group consensus on the issue.
If you’re anything like me, you went to school with a super-cute, super-talented, super-athletic, super-academic, super-popular guy/girl who finished school and went off to do…nothing else.
What’s the deal with that?
All that talent and… donuts.
Any.
What a waste.
Have you ever been to a school reunion?
They are a lot of fun…
And how interesting is it to fast-forward 10, 15, 20 years and see what happened to the geek, the hottie, the athlete, the crowd, and the socially invisible?
When I was in school, I was mediocre (in many ways).
In fact, the average was my ambition.
I was the last kid chosen for every sports team.
I couldn’t run to save myself, but I could swim well because I had incredible buoyancy.
Kind of like a cork with hair on it.
Being fat certainly helps when you’re going up and down in the water.
It’s a shame that all the school sports days were not water-based… He could have been a champion.
But not.
In a weird way, I’m glad I was so mediocre because very early on (when I was about fourteen) I gained clarity, perspective, and certainty about what I didn’t want for my life.
I didn’t want to be fat.
Ridiculous gold.
Or picked up.
Or last.
mediocre gold.
So when I was fourteen years old and weighed 90 kilograms (198 pounds) I decided that I would change my body.
One day, I got to that point, and from that point on, I never had any doubt that it would happen (you know, the pleasure and pain thing).
I lost 30 kilograms (66 pounds) in five months and went through not only a huge physical change, but also a complete emotional and psychological metamorphosis.
It was then that I realized that what I would become (and achieve) in my life had little to do with talent or potential, and everything to do with attitude, commitment, and effort.
Without being too melodramatic, the pain of (some of) my childhood experiences actually helped me create the drive, the right attitude, and the determination and focus needed to be able to start creating real (for good) change.
Being called Jumbo for ten years helped too.
Over the years, I’ve found that when I struggle to be clear about my future and goals, I start by identifying what I don’t want…and that helps me get clear about what I do want.
So I guess for me, not being gifted was an advantage.
It gave me the desire to create an amazing life.
And while I’ve worked with many talented people who have accomplished great things, I’ve also coached many talented people (especially athletes) who just haven’t had the drive, attitude, or work ethic to maximize their gifts.
Sometimes I think that everyone telling me how wonderful they were and how amazing they would be when they grew up was actually a disadvantage.
It gave them a reason not to exert themselves or sacrifice…because apparently everything was going to magically fall into their lap.
So I guess my point is that for some being gifted is a gift and for others it’s a handicap.
I guess it depends on what we do or don’t do with that talent.