Hard Work Doesn’t Beat Talent

My dad is one of the hardest working people I know. He wakes up hours before sunrise, and works until long after sunset every day. On some Sundays he takes a day off from the shop, only to sit out on the front porch with his tools displayed on the lawn in case any passersby want to purchase his surplus.

Sitting out here with him in sunny Los Angeles, I presented him with a common phrase thrown around in the fitness industry: “hard work beats talent”.

“No.” He says immediately, to my surprise. My curiosity is piqued. He continues, “Bill is one of the hardest working people I know. He works tirelessly on anything he can get his hands on, but he doesn’t get anywhere because he isn’t any good at what he does.”

So in essence, Bill is spinning his wheels, and rather ambitiously at that. And so I think back to the articles upon articles I’ve come across pointing successes in bodybuilding to a genetic predisposition along with the help of a few choice anabolic drugs and think, so what about the average person? Is someone with a 9-to-5 who spends a few hours a week in the gym doomed to spin their wheels for the rest of their lives simply because they may have been handed the genetic short-stick?

The truth is, yes, some people are just terribly unlucky. It’s a sad reality. There will be those who can be fit with minimal effort, and others who will work for years and never come close.

But here’s where I disagree with Dad: if Bill were to be handed the proper tools and instruction, then with enough coaxing, Bill could be incredibly successful.

This is why it becomes increasingly important to do good research, to surround yourself with people who have similar goals and interests, and to seek assistance from those who have the experience and knowledge to help you work smarter, not harder.