I’ve been playing guitar for 26 years now (I know, I know. I’m old). And over those 26 years, I’ve had countless people tell me how talented they think I am. I always say “thank you” and smile. But on the inside, I’m thinking something very different.

You see, I’m not talented at all – not really. The truth is, I’ve had to practice my ass off for a long time to become the kick-ass guitar player that I am today. Talent has very little to do with it. When I first started playing and for a long time after that, I sucked. Only over many years have I become a skilled guitar player.

So, why have so many people called me talented? What’s the difference between talent and skill? These are some of the questions I’m going to explore in this post.

I’m Not Talented

I know that when someone calls me a talented guitar player, they’re throwing me a compliment. That’s why I simply say “thank you” and move on. But on the inside, I can’t help but feel a little insulted.

Why? Because talent isn’t the reason I’m a good guitar player. It may seem that way to someone who hears me play because they don’t see the thousands of hours I’ve put into practicing over the years. They only see the end result.

It’s probably easier for people to think of others who are good at something to be talented than skilled. If I call you talented at say, painting, this implies that you are a naturally gifted artist. It also implies that I’m not as good as you because I’m not as naturally gifted as you.

But the truth is that, in all likelihood, you sucked at painting when you first started. Only through lots of practice have you gotten better. If I call you skilled, on the other hand, this implies that I could be a good artist, too, if I worked at it.

It’s easier for us to attribute the success of others to talent rather than skill. The first implies that they got to where they are because of who they are. The second implies that they actually had to work to get where they are. It also implies that we could be successful, too, if we would only put in the effort – and who wants to do that?

Talent vs Skill – What’s the Difference?

As touched upon above, talent is when you’re naturally good at something. We all have our strengths and weaknesses – all of us. Some people are just naturally better at certain things than others.

Skill, on the other hand, is an ability that you learn through lots of practice. Most people are capable of learning most skills, at least to some degree. To what degree and how quickly, well, this is where talent comes in.

Let’s stick with guitar playing. Someone who is naturally talented at the guitar will learn quicker than someone who isn’t. They may intuitively pick up on things that others don’t, allowing them to progress faster. In addition to learning quicker, someone who is talented at the guitar may be able to progress further over time than someone who isn’t.

I can play almost anything on the guitar – almost. Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Jimi Hendrix – I can proudly say that I’m capable of playing all their material. But it took me nearly two decades to get to that point. I’ve known other guitar players who were able to play everything by those legends after between five-and-ten years of practice. Now, some of those guitar players are talented!

If I Can Do It, So Can You

Everything is a skill that can be learned. Guitar playing, for example, is a skill that can be learned. Being a good writer is a skill. Knowing how to talk to women (or men, whatever) is a skill that can be learned. Everything is a skill.

You can learn to do anything that you want to. Sometimes it just takes a lot of time and determination. The three skills I just mentioned are all skills that I’ve personally developed in myself. Writing well, playing guitar, and knowing how to (effectively) flirt with women are all things that I was naturally terrible at but learned to do with time and practice.

Never let the lack of natural talent stop you from doing anything you want to do. I’m not particularly talented at any of the things I’ve mentioned. In some cases, I’ve had to work twice as hard to get half the results. But I’ve put in the work and now I’m reaping the rewards.

If I can learn to do these and plenty of other things, so can you. It just takes effort – sometimes lots and lots of effort. But, in the end, it’s worth it.

Conclusion

People often confuse talent with skill. Sure, some people are naturally talented at certain things while others are not. But any skill can be learned by anyone. Don’t ever let your lack of talent prevent you from going after the things you want in life.

Actually, I’ll take that one step further. Don’t let anyone or anything prevent you from chasing your dreams. If you really want something, go after it! Will you have to work harder for it than others might? Maybe. But will it be 100% worth it in the end? Absolutely!

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