I recently had a very gifted musician as a guitar client. He’s so good that he’s not even trying. He comes up with brilliant ideas and his creativity is just inspiring to watch. He can play better than most of his peers without trying. Sadly, he’s settling for being better than the other guys, but not pushing himself to be the best he can. I mean, after all, if you can play better than the other guy, why push yourself?
Remember the story about the Tortoise and the Hare who go for a race?
I see it in gifted people often. We can become overconfident in our natural ability and stop running before the race is done, only to be passed by the pedantic, plodding, “ungifted-but-relentless,” tortoise.
May I encourage you, gifted one, to push yourself hard enough to not only be the best in your circle, but the best you can be. Imagine that potential was measured numerically. Say, for example, your max capacity is 150. The guy next to you can do 100 if he’s going with everything he’s got. If he’s doing 90 and you’re doing 95, you’re not winning, you’re just going faster than the guy next to you.
oooh too true, too true