What’s Your Relationship With Time?

Here’s a question I’ve been trying to answer: does talent—natural talent—really exist?

I don’t believe so.

My wife, on the other hand, disagrees.

My guess: others reading this also disagree.

That’s okay—I’m enjoying my quest.

Here’s what I do believe: as humans, we have unlimited potential and talents—if we’re willing to put in the time.

As I’ve mused on before, I’m fascinated by skill acquisition.

What humans can do is so cool.

Here’s the problem: we get in our own way.

Specifically, I think we get in our own way in preventing a skill to express itself in a manner that appears to others as a natural talent because we don’t give it—the skill—the time it needs.

We expect it to happen immediately.

And that is why I asked the question in the title: what’s your relationship with time?

You see, skill acquisition takes time.

Skill acquisition takes deliberate practice.

I put together this little chart to get me, and I hope you, thinking.

(NOTE: the (##) is my age if I start today)

Want to master something?

Want to tap into what appears to be a natural talent?

Well, start putting in the deliberate time…

…and, likely, adjust your expectations.

Onward.