Work Ethic or Talent?

[Harvey M.]

Which will get you further in life? I've seen guys achieve greatness through sheer talent - have hardly had to put any work in. For me, I have to work ridiculously hard if I want to get on their level. I'm confident that one day, my hard work ethic will catch up with their talent and surpass them.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Antarctic]

It's up to you of what you preseve is far up in life. My hard work might be your lower class.

 

[Gimgak]

A genius once told me that work ethic was all that mattered. For the most part, I agree with him. Seeing as how he has zero work ethic and is smarter than anyone I know but doesn't have any high aims I see where he's coming from when other, less intelligent people who work hard can make it.

 

[Harvey M.]

Will Smith's mother told him that if he's going to be in this world, he might as well do something people can remember him by.

 

[IAAM Radio]

Work Ethic and Talent go hand in hand. Also, what do you deem success? Is a Trash collector any less successful if he has Work Ethic and Talent than someone who is a CFO? Measuring in assets is not a good metric for these two. It's satisfaction. I can pay someone $50,000/yr and if they are happy with their job it seems to be enough. I can pay $100,000/yr and if the person hates their work etc it's not enough. I have seen many who earn less have far more both in assets and self ratification than the latter.

 

[Caedus]

Kissing butt gets you farther in life than anything else. Work Ethic and/or Talent don't seem to matter all the much anymore. :sad:

 

[IAAM Radio]

I disagree, you can smell a kiss tail a mile away and eventually leadership will see they may be masters of kissing tail and nothing else. No productivity then move them on out.

Talent and Ethic will get you farther, there are plenty of honest millionaires out there. Sometimes you just don’t know you're talking to one.

 

[The Reverend]

Work ethic.

 

[froggyboy604]

For the average folk, work ethic is more important in many cases to live a comfortable working class lifestyle since a lot of jobs like Cashier, Auto Mechanic, electrician, fry cook, etc, you just need to know how to do tasks you learn from work training or school, and be able to repeat the same tasks in a timely and professional manner everyday for customers, and learn new tasks like using a new cash register, fixing a new type of car, etc when needed in a timely manner.

For people who are the 1% who make multiple Millions or Billions of dollars like Justin Beiber, Mark Z. of Facebook, Bill Gates, Madonna, talent and work ethic are both needed since a lot of people work hard at improving their skills, but only a small percentage of people with Talent or have the long term will-power will get to be so successful.

 

[IAAM Radio]

What do you define as successful? Is it measured in annual Salary? I make $100,000/yr (with benefits like BAH) Base pay alone is $86,000 with the remaining $14,000 in BAH and BAS. My wife is about the same are we successful? What if we only made $30,000 combined?

To me it matters not in what you earn but in what you can do and do it well. My wife is in Radiology I'm a military officer with a Masters in Financial Economics we both studied hard in college, worked hard in our jobs and climbed the ladder. To be listed in the 1% you have to earn just about $350,000/yr. I know I'm not in that bracket but I have no complaints either.

 

[froggyboy604]

What do you define as successful? Is it measured in annual Salary? I make $100,000/yr (with benefits like BAH) Base pay alone is $86,000 with the remaining $14,000 in BAH and BAS. My wife is about the same are we successful? What if we only made $30,000 combined?

To me it matters not in what you earn but in what you can do and do it well. My wife is in Radiology I'm a military officer with a Masters in Financial Economics we both studied hard in college, worked hard in our jobs and climbed the ladder. To be listed in the 1% you have to earn just about $350,000/yr. I know I'm not in that bracket but I have no complaints either.

Successful is someone who achieves their goals, and feels successful for completing them.

 

[IAAM Radio]

Yes, that is correct, glad you put a better definition on it.

 

[dojo]

I am NOT a talented person. But I do work like a maniac, when I have something in mind. This helped me:
- learn English so that I can actually run my business with clients from all over the world - 20 years of hard work, paid off.
- started working as a radio DJ - 13 years ago. I knew nothing, was the youngest one there and the only with ZERO on air experience. In 6 months time I got to be no.2 in the station, choose my own shows. worked there for 10 years
- 2002 - started my first site. Had to ask for my ex to upload my files (was this stupid, didn't even know how to use an FTP client). Fast forward today: I have a web sites network, I run my own business and make good money. I don't have any dimplomas, but thousands of work hours.
- karate - I do believe I was the worst student my instructor had. In 5 years I was one of his best students, actually helping teaching new comers.

Talent is amazing, if you have it. if not, WORK as if there's no tomorrow and it's impossible not to succeed. I will never be no.1 (maybe because I lack that 'spark'), but I've surely done very well until now and am positive I'll do it from now on 🙂

 

[WUEddy12]

I would prefer to have great work eithic than talent.
Obviously, it takes more work, more effort & that's what matters to me.
Then, if you fail, you can't say you didn't try.