• Question: why are some people more talented than others

    Asked by Natalie to Ed, Kerrianne, Nina, Oli, yoyehudi on 8 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Yo Yehudi

      Yo Yehudi answered on 8 Nov 2017:

      It’s because the talented people have practiced! I’m good at writing code because I’ve been doing it for years, but I’m rubbish at video games where I have to drive around in cars (I just keep on smashing into the walls), and since I’m not inclined to practice it’s unlikely I’ll ever get better 😀

    • Photo: Oli Wilson

      Oli Wilson answered on 8 Nov 2017:

      I think talent is often a product of various things – Usain Bolt is a talented runner because of the way his muscles are set up, and because he’s got a great combination of height and power. That’s mostly down to genetics. Sometimes your upbringing or circumstances come into it – if you grow up hearing your parents play music brilliantly you might find you have a better ear for it than others. Talent is often, I think, a bit of a fluke – it just happens or it doesn’t, it’s there or it’s not.
      But talent is only a very small part of success – it’s helpful, but not even especially essential. After all, Usain Bolt might just have become a tall guy working in an office if he hadn’t practised and trained and learned to run as well as he could for 20 years. And if he hadn’t had a lucky break somewhere along the road – when someone saw his talent and showed him how to make it work – we might never have heard of him…

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