Little thing called Talent
"My name is Marc, my emotional life is sensitive and my purse is empty, but they say I have talent."
Marc Chagall
In general, talent means the skill that someone has quite naturally to do something that is hard, a high degree of ability that a person was born with. It's hard to argue that some people indeed have more of an inherited talent for arts than others. They are able to get to a certain level rather quickly and get a lot of praise along the way. However, relying on talent will only last for so long, there's a point to be reached when nothing but hard work gets you through.
"Talent is so loaded a word, so full to the brim with meanings, that an artist might be wise to forget about it altogether and just keep on working."
Eric Maisel
Are you one of those people, who draw a picture once a month and than send it to everyone to ask their opinion? Don't worry, we've all been there, that was pretty much my style since I was little, I wanted to hear praises from my mom but my efforts were minimal - why would I invest my time into drawing and painting when I obviously wasn't strikingly good at it? Looking back in time at this, it was a very wrong question to ask and a point missed. When the need for confirmation outbalances the will and joy to create, we're in trouble!
"Don't bother about whether or not you have it. Just assume that you do, and then forget about it. Talent is a word we use after someone has become accomplished. There is no way to detect it before the fact... or to predict when or if mastery will click into place."
Richard Schmind
Is it really the lack of talent or the lack of discipline, will and interest that's making us to abandon our creative attempts? Is the reason why you pick up your brush/camera/tablet every morning the desire to infill someone's expectations or rather your personal connection to this type of work? As suggested, loving what you do is often the most powerful magic that redirects your thoughts from talent talk to the right direction, towards the work itself. A person who loves to create never sees his efforts as a waste of time, no matter how bad the creations turn out, at start.
"Perhaps I have no talent, but all vanity aside – I do not believe that anyone makes an artistic attempt, no matter how small, without having a little – or there are many fools."
Paul Gaugin
Do you still believe you have no artistic talent, whatsoever, but you love to paint, enjoy photography or craft?
It's this desire combined with persistence, systematic interest and learning that makes a successful artist.
PS: This article contained an awful lot of butterflies. I thought they'd help to make the point 
Discussion
How do you perceive your own talents? How often do you compare yourself to others and with what result?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below 
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Originality
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