| Couch potatoes never know what muscles they could | | | | One child sings complete songs-on key-at an early |
| build if they spent their couch time at the gym. On the | | | | age. Another takes their toys apart and-more |
| couch, even repetitive bench pressing of the biggest, | | | | importantly-puts them back together. Yet another |
| baddest universal remote won't build a noticeable | | | | accurately counts the change they receive when |
| muscle. | | | | buying candy. We shouldn't dismiss these things with |
| And the same holds true for exercising our talents. | | | | an "isn't that cute" remark. They're all part of the talent |
| Just as a dedicated couch potato will never know if he | | | | hunt. |
| has a set of six-pack abs waiting to be liberated, we'll | | | | But some talents aren't so easy to spot. How do we |
| never develop our abilities without putting in time | | | | know where to dig for the treasure? |
| exercising them. Abilities are a lot like muscles; you | | | | A sure sign of talent is doing easily what others find |
| have to work them to have them. And the more you | | | | hard, and we'll miss it if we're not looking. It's a natural |
| work them, the more impressive they become. | | | | tendency to think everybody is just like us, so we |
| But what abilities do we have to develop? We may | | | | decide-without checking it out-that everybody finds it |
| be clueless about an absolute treasure trove of inborn | | | | as easy to do as we do. And we miss the |
| talents lurking inside us. We may even claim to lack | | | | 500-pound-gorilla clue sitting right in front of us. |
| talent. | | | | We may decide we're good at something because, |
| Not so fast, bucko. Everybody's born with talent. That's | | | | since we enjoy it, we get a lot of practice at it. Sure, |
| spelled e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y. Lots of talent. But secret. We | | | | practice makes us better, but practice-despite popular |
| can't look at a baby and tell what career will suit their | | | | opinion-doesn't make perfect. Effort only takes us so |
| talents. Babies eat. They cry. They do things only a | | | | far. Talent takes us all the way. |
| parent in love would be willing to deal with-and then | | | | Truly gifted people often fall into the "imposter" trap. |
| sometimes grudgingly. But exhibit talent? No. | | | | We get many, many compliments. We may even |
| Talent is a treasure hunt. And unless we go hunting, | | | | make a lot of money doing what we do. But we can't |
| we can live and die without uncovering our treasures | | | | accept the praise because we can't believe we |
| within. It's like have millions in the bank that nobody told | | | | deserve it. We decide we've had a free ride so far, |
| us about. | | | | but some day we'll be found out and exposed as an |
| We spot some talents easily. Schools teach us to | | | | impostor. Anybody sitting on that thought is atop a |
| read early on. Those with literary talents find reading | | | | talent gold mine. |
| easy. Others struggle. This has nothing to do with our | | | | So maybe it's inventory time. Let's check out what we |
| value, but with our direction. If reading is a chore, we | | | | enjoy and what people say we're good at. Pumping up |
| probably won't want to become an editor or a writer; | | | | those muscles will start us down the talent trail, and |
| our path goes in a different direction. | | | | who knows what good stuff we'll find? |
| School sports programs uncover athletic talent. Some | | | | © Copyright 2007 by Bette Dowdell. All rights |
| people run like the wind almost from the moment they | | | | reserved. |
| stand up; others never get beyond a lead foot trudge. | | | | |