Natural Talent and/or Hard Work and Practice

[trompette229]

Great post. It's funny how we often feel something has to be one way instead of realizing there are many ways and more often than not a combination of things that gets people towards the top. I didn't read where anyone has said you can't attain a high level through persistence (as may have been alluded to in an earlier post) but it does seem true that to be truly world class (Andre, Herseth, Severinson, Marsalis, Nakariakov) there is almost always that combination of natural talent combined with a great work ethic.

I personally know a great player with a great job who has never been into practice. Not as a student, not as a professional. It came easily to him and while everyone else busted their butts, he quietly rose to a very high level in his profession without ever wanting (or needing) to put in the hours. This is rare but if this person had been motivated, who knows where they'd be now, yet he was able to go further that most other players who were motivated and put in the time.