Maggie's Farm

Geniuses resent people attributing their entire skill to natural ability, and tend to the opposite extreme of insisting that it was all hard work. It was never all hard work, as many dedicated but failed athletes and musicians know. However, they do have a very good point: once exceptional ability is established, it is not likely to get you far on its own unless you develop the gift. At the highest levels, there is no rest and constant learning and practice are still required.

Evidence for my claim about the claims geniuses make, but not evidence that hard work creates genius. Joe had three siblings who were professional ballplayers as well, strong evidence for genetic advantages. And DiMaggio was legendary in the field for how smooth and natural he looked as well. Hard work doesn't get you there from point zero. All of us who played sports or music knew that therew were people who just showed up and were already way ahead of most others. I used to say of my stepfamily (a few All-Americans in various sports) that if you invented a new sport you would be electing them captain by nightfall. They did also work at it, worked hard. I was a musician, and always said "I have to work twice as hard to be half as good" as the others I hung with. But mostly what the people who work hard and don't have the ability learn is how to be coaches, or promoters, or reporters, or agents, stay involved with what they love in some other way.