I know a lot of people are going to be upset by this notion (I'm definitely going against what a lot of parents believe about their children) - but I meant what I said in the title. Talent doesn't exist. It's not real. And even if it did exist, it doesn't matter.
Imagine you're watching a 12-year-old boy walk up on stage, sit down at a grand piano, and play the most stunning piano solo you've ever heard. I'm sure you'd say to yourself "WOW! That kid is TALENTED! Where did he come from, MARS?!"
As someone who has spent a lot of time and effort studying talent acquisition - and also as a pianist of 17 years - here's what I know: What people perceive as talent from the outside, is experienced as a developed skill from the inside. The performer has had lots of practice, hundreds if not thousands of hours dedicated solely to practicing their craft, little by little. Brilliant performers, or performers destined for greatness, practice when they're happy, when they're sad, when they're tired, when they're angry. They practice when they're excited, hungry, elated, or when they just don't feel like it. And eventually? If that person wasn't perceived as "talented" before? Other people start to notice. They put down their coffee mug, and tune in. "Son, where did you learn how to do that?"
I'm telling you. Talent. Doesn't. Exist.
"Ok Mr. Schmacting Coach," I can hear you thinking to yourself. "I know a girl who is seven and she is THE BEST SINGER I'VE EVER HEARD. How do you explain that?!"
Listen here, fanatic person. That little girl? She has a deep interest in singing. The kind of interest that causes her to focus, to squint her eyes like Clint Eastwood. She always has had this interest. She loves to practice, I can guarantee it. And she probably has the resources - the teachers, the peers, the venues, the motivation - to practice all the time. That little girl isn't stuck in front of a TV all day, and when she does watch TV, she's humming along to the theme songs! Nobody is telling her to "BE QUIET!" when she tries to practice - they're taking her seriously, they're getting her lessons, they're telling her what outfit she should wear to her next recital, because they see the value in her interest.
You know what? Let's say there was such thing as talent. Let's use the following example:
Billy is 8, and he's better with comedy than Timothy, who is 12. Timothy has been taking classes for 6 months, while Billy has only just joined the improv comedy class, and is already making everyone laugh harder than Timothy ever did. Some people might say, "Well, Timothy just doesn't have it. It's Billy who has the funny bone!" --- What should Timothy do in this situation? What should 12-year-old Timothy do? Should he give up? Drop the class? Should he believe that effort does not equal outcome? Absolutely not. In fact, now that he's adjacent to someone who's more experienced with being funny, Timothy's exposure to this "talented" person will only increase his chances of becoming funnier.
Why? Listen carefully: You are the average of the 5 people you interact with most.
This is where the idea of "good influence" and "bad influence" comes from. If Timothy is exposed to funny people on a regular basis, he will become funnier. And, if Timothy is interested in practicing what he's learned, he uses the principles of comedy to sharpen his sword over the summer to return to school an overall funnier-than-average kid. On the flip side, if Timothy hangs around kids who complain a lot, Timothy will eventually start to complain about everything. Look, we're social creatures. If kids all center around a TV show like Nickelodeon's Spongebob Squarepants, they're going to repeat and do the strange things that they've seen Spongebob and Patrick do. (I know this first hand.)
We are SOCIAL BEINGS. So we must be careful with who we interact with; as well as pay special attention to how we develop ourselves and how we develop our youth. And, to get back to my original point, "talent" is just a combination of what your child is interested in, who they are influenced by, and how seriously you are willing to nurture their ability.
For more resources on talent acquisition, pick up a copy of The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle, or Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin to get you started. Then pick up Mindset by Carol Dweck. They're available as audiobooks, too!
Daniel Thrasher | Kids Acting Coach