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The Limitation of Talent
Warning: Read only if you are considering making money from your talent
I am an avid observer of life, and I have built a mental library from the experiences of the people I’ve come across or read about. One of my observations is how easily talented people fall into a self-constructed trap by assuming that talent is all that is required to become successful. Since the definition of success is highly subjective, my definition in the context of this article, is when your talent makes money or brings you fame.
A Mathematician, a Rapper and an Architect Walk into a Bar …
I will tell the stories of three people to highlight this talent trap and my perspective on how to avoid it on the path to commercial success. One is the story of a man called Chris Langan who was featured in Malcolm Gladwell’s book — Outliers; the second is a Nigerian rap artiste locally known as Mode9; and the third is an older architect I once worked with who I’d refer to as A.I.
As recognition goes, Chris Langan is ‘sort of’ a superstar. Wikipedia describes him as, ‘… an American whose IQ was reported to…
