Talent Myth Part #2

In my first blog on why I don’t think talent exists I talked about the importance of hard work. Well there is one more quality that I think sticks out when we talk about becoming successful.

In addition to hard work the quality I see sticking out is problem solving ability! This characteristic is often over looked for ones which are easier quantified such as toughness, tenacity, intensity, etc. If we stick to the notion that hard work does not need to be coupled with problem solving ability(I see this thought process a lot in wrestling) we will be like the guy who keeps trying to go through the wall when there is a door 10ft away.

Let me give you one very easy example, if a wrestler lacks the ability to score with a leg attack and loses in the state finals because of this. He says “I am never gonna let this happen again I am going to work so hard this offseason!” So every day we wakes up early and gets a run in. After school he makes sure to lift weights extremely hard. By the time next season comes around he is much stronger and in great shape, but he has not addressed the huge problem that

he still does not have a leg attack. I see this type of thing too often in wrestling and it really pains me.

I see it now when I coach, those that are having the most success early are the ones who are great problem solvers. They don’t wait for me to give them a solution to whatever they are struggling with they figure it out. So no talent doesn’t exist these wrestlers have just figured out from a young age how to work hard AND solve their problems.

Hope this helps you understand my insistence that TALENT IS A MYTH