You have no talent to be a writer, or designer, or coach

4 replies
You've chosen your career path in IM. You plan to be a best selling author and make your fortune with Kindle books. Great . . . but here's your problem - you have no talent as a writer. You can't form a proper sentence or convey a thought on paper.

You want to be everyone's go-to guy for IM graphic design. The problem is - you don't have an artistic bone in your body. You have no eye for design and no creativity or talent in for design.

You want to be a high level IM coach with a stable full of wealthy clients. The problem is - you have trouble organizing your thoughts, expressing yourself, and coherently teaching others what you know.

I believe newcomers to IM often struggle because they attempt to be something for which they have no talent.

They buy in to the myth that they can be whatever they want to be if they study, work hard enough, and never give up. They never question whether they possess any talent for what they're going to be doing.

Talent is a funny thing. One who possesses it can hone it, refine it, and polish it so that it becomes highly developed. But if you don't have that inherent talent, that "gift" in the first place, it's extremely difficult to acquire. I personally believe we all have talent for something - a gift, an advantage, a leg-up on the average person, call it what you will. Everyone has a gift or natural ability to do something well. Some have several gifts - but I believe everyone has at least one.

If you're struggling in IM, maybe you're not utilizing your talent. Maybe you're trying to be something you'll never be. Is it smart to try to be an author if you can't write a lick?

Sure, you can learn a new skill and become very good at it with effort and practice. But should you be starting a business in something that's going to take you 5-10 years to master? I say . . . NO!

If you don't possess the talent, the gift, the natural ability already, forget about it. Find out where your talent lies and exploit it! You will have a great advantage in the marketplace as you build a business around it.

Opposing opinions are welcomed.

The very best to all of you,

Steve
#coach #designer #talent #writer
  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Spot on Steve...
    Too many people trying to be a jack of all trades and end up being master of none...
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    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

    ― George Carlin
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    • Profile picture of the author bdpop
      Interesting question. The reverse certainly seems true: people with no "talent" for techie stuff succeed not infrequently. If you can't do any of the things mentioned in the headline, you sure as heck better be able to compensate with outstanding technical skills or people skills (which will help you form a team), it seems to me.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve B
        bdpop,

        Agreed.

        I'm really trying to point out the difference between what I call "talent" and a "skill" that can be learned.

        You can learn a skill over time with effort and practice. You can also outsource a task that requires a skill needed in your business if you lack it.

        I think it's very difficult, however (maybe impossible), to acquire a talent if you don't possess it. If someone comments that "he/she is a natural at that" then most likely they're referring to a talent that one person has that others don't possess.

        My thought is that if you have a talent, a particular gift, you ought to try using that talent in your business as you will have an advantage over others in your niche that don't have your talent.

        On the flip side, you can struggle forever trying to be something you're not; for instance, trying to be a top selling author when you have no talent for writing.

        Steve
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        Steve Browne, online business strategies, tips, guidance, and resources
        SteveBrowneDirect

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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    I have always found that you take your direction from your passions and interests - two reasons I think this works:

    1) If you have a passion or interest in something (teaching, writing, solving problems, getting that sale, etc...) chances are you are good at it (or at least have had some level of success or praise giving you the satisfaction)

    2) Your passion and interest makes it something you will spend more time, energy and focus on with less reward (key when you are starting a business)

    Where I see many new entreprenuers make a mistake is they choose their business (market, method of monetization, product, service, etc...) based NOT on their strengths, passions and interests (with obvious commercial refinement) but rather solely based on what has worked for someone else, the "idea" of money or some other external validation.

    Stick to what you enjoy, keep an eye to making sure you come up with a good industrialization of that passion or idea and you will succeed.

    Jeff
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