On an athletic level, this is so clear. There are plenty of “gifted” athletes that never excel because they rely on their natural ability to pull them through. This lesson can also be seen in academics. Some students rely far too much on their natural ability and end up paying the price.
There is no simple secret to success. There are no silver bullets or short cuts. But nothing is more important than preparation and hard work. Yes, we can all point to examples of people who are successful “flying by the seat of their pants”. There are always exceptions.
In business, we compete every day. We compete with other companies. We compete with other employees. We compete with other candidates during interviews. Does the most naturally talented individual always win? No. Does the most naturally talented individual win most of the time? I would argue “No”. In my experience the most prepared individual wins.
The lesson is simple, “Hard Work Beats Talent, When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard”. Don’t make excuses. Simply work hard and be prepared. You will win more often than you think.
