I think it’s safe to say we’ve all wished we had more “natural talent” as drummers. Whether it’s a desire to play with greater speed, better groove, or with more creativity – we all want some kind of advantage. Unfortunately, the mainstream definition of natural talent is a myth. Worse still, it’s a destructive idea that prevents many people from achieving their true potential.
Natural talent isn’t the big difference maker that so many people believe it to be. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the actual benefits are minimal. It may create a one or two percent difference in the long run, but that’s it.
Unfortunately, the false idea that some people are simply “gifted” has become mainstream. We are constantly exposed to people enjoying their 15 minutes of fame on TV and in online videos. Rarely do we get to see the years or decades of effort it took to achieve that success. A wise person once told me… “most overnight successes are 10-20 years in the making”.
Fortunately books like Outliers, The Talent Code, and Bounce are destroying the myth of natural talent. The science behind success is becoming clearer than ever before. Deep focused practice is the key to becoming world class at anything.
When we accept the mainstream definition of “natural talent” – our perspective on reality becomes warped. Suddenly our first attempt at trying something new is measured against the imagined ability of a “gifted” person. That, or we compare ourselves to other people around us – falsely assuming that the sum of their life experience should line up exactly with ours in that moment.
This leads us to make unfair assessments of our talent, or more accurately – our perceived lack-of-talent. We decide early on that not only are we not at a natural advantage, but perhaps we are actually at a disadvantage. This is what makes this myth so very destructive. It draws unfair comparisons that can cause us to give up or cut back from giving something our best effort.
The simple truth is that every expert was once a beginner. Every professional was once an amateur. Everyone that has ever accomplished anything significant had to work incredibly hard to get there. There are no exceptions.
It’s easy to hear this and just gloss over it thinking, “yeah, but this thing is REALLY hard for me”. This is the myth of natural talent echoing in our minds. Some part of us still likes to believe that the “gifted” person had an easier path. The fact is, people become talented specifically because they worked through difficult situations – over and over again.
Achieving mastery in any particular area of life is a result of deep focused practice and consistency. The science of success has revealed that struggling through something that is incredibly difficult is a necessary part of the journey. It is in these moments that we make leaps and bounds in our progress.
The Talent Code includes many examples of students using this kind of “deep practice” to rapidly improve their abilities. In fact, the book opens with the story of a clarinet student that accomplished a months worth of practice in just six minutes of pure focus. The book had this to say about her “natural talent”… “she lacked a good ear, her sense of rhythm was average, and her motivation was subpar.”
With this in mind, I encourage you to reject the myth of natural talent. Decide what it is that you want to accomplish and then be committed to doing what it takes to achieve that result. Embrace the many challenges that are certain to come, because they are opportunities for rapid growth.
Rick Kettner is an active drummer and the co-founder of Drumeo - an online community dedicated to the education, inspiration, and support of drummers.
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