If I were to have a magnificent test and
be able to tell you that you could in fact be one of those special football
talents in the world, or could play the piano spectacularly, or could do
somersaults on a rope; would you be willing to stop doing the job that you have
been doing all these years and plunge into a completely different area of
profession?
Strange as it may sound but parents have
such expectations. They ask us to find
out and tell them in which area of profession their kids are talented so that
they could orient them into that specific area as soon as they can. Because they believe that in order to be
successful, one should have special talents and leave others behind in the
competition though such talents. And
they also regard the success of their children above everything else.
When we read about the success stories of
people who become prominent through a specific talent, we see that the natural
characteristics that could shape that particular talent into being are actually
quite apparent to anyone. In other
words, it is not common for a successful TV entertainment program presenter to
have had an introvert and shy childhood.
You would not expect someone who enjoys reading books and talking to
people to become a famous football star had he been discovered at an early
age. People who have become famous in
similar areas usually have very similar interests and preferences.
Talent could only come into play along
with the interest and willingness to work in a particular area. Children who have been forced to play a
specific musical instrument from an early age against their will could do away
with the decades of work at the first opportunity when they are left on their
own despite the fact that they are actually quite talented in playing that
instrument. The case in point here is
the book named “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua where she
wrote her life story with her daughters.
On the other hand, the interests and labors of children in areas where
they are not rated to be too successful by the talent tests could help them
become prominent through their unique styles.
Think of the musicians you listen to, the authors you read, and the movies
you watch. Do you really see the impressions
of very talented people in every single one of them? Is it really that people are successful
because they have wonderful voices or spectacular acting skills? Is Madonna really the best voice in the
world? Or can we say Picasso is the most
talented of all artists? Especially
after seeing his early paintings…
What counts is the ability to become
attached to something that one does with great interest. The greatest favor you could do for yourself
and others close to you is maintain the support that will carry on doing things
that you enjoy doing. If someone is
interested in a particular subject and enjoys doing things related to that
subject then he/she could carry on working on it for a life time. His/her enthusiasm for creating new things
and his/her excitement for starting all over again after making mistakes could
be greater than everything. Sticking to
the routine of trial and error on a constant basis is the way that will lead
one to success in the end.
Derya Gülterler, MS
Clinic Psychologist
