"Talent is always positive in the sense that it enables a peson to do certain things very well. Your talents always hold potential for positive results in terms of achievements, success, personal fulfillment, and a better quality of life.
At the same time, talents place demands on the people who have them. And from that standpoint, talents can present a bit of a challenge.
Some people honestly say that they wish that their talents weren't so strong in certain themes because they make their lives more demanding. They simply may experience more pressure because other people place higher expectations on them to achieve."
-Donald O. Clifton and Edward "Chip" Anderson, StrengthsQuest: Discover and Develop Your Strengths in Academics, Career, and Beyond, pp. 26-27
5 comments:
I can relate! People always expect me to sing at every event and to perform at school functions. I have to turn away so many amazing opportunities because of my job. I didn't tell you that I was contacted to be Elphaba in Wicked; it's a shame I had to turn it down. The pressure is just too much!
Gosh, it must be so hard to be you and to have to say "no" to all of those magnificent offers. I'm really a little miffed that you didn't take the Elphaba role, though. Hello, free tickets!!!
Oh so wonderfully and painfully true!
When it comes to being a burden, I think talents are really second only to children. Sure, they're rewarding, and inseparable part of you, something that makes you complete -- but they sure require an awful lot of maintenance, frustration, agony, etc. To be painfully poetic, perhaps your Muse is really your first (demanding) child.
Jeanine, what a great assessment, spoken by one who must know! Those of us who are less talented can take it easier.
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