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Talent Isn’t Worth Much.
Talent is a double edged sword.
It’s a nice gift to have, but it will only get you so far.
Many times, having natural talent can lead you to being lazy.
We’ve all seen the star athlete in little league that is head and shoulders better then his peers. He, or She, doesn’t have to work at it that hard. Everything seems to just come naturally, and he wins easily. He probably played all through high school. Maybe even had the natural talent to make it to the Majors.
But at the next level, in everything, not just sports, there will be somebody with just as much talent that also busts their butt. When you add drive and determination to that talent, that’s where greatness is found.
Nick Saban, arguably the greatest college football coach ever, tests his players mentally as much as physically. He tries to instill that work ethic. All his players were stars in high School, but that talent won’t cut it at the next level. Saban says it doesn’t matter how far ahead of the next guy you are. You should be trying to better yourself compared to yourself. If you are in practice and doing sprints, just because you are in the lead doesn’t mean that you let up the last few yards. To get better, you have to push your own limits.