photo: FatMandy
It might take a genius the same amount of time to find what they are good at as it would a dedicated learner to practice their way into genius-hood. Over at Coroflot's Creative Seeds Carl Alviani enters the dichotomy of the gifted the talented and the downright challenged in the creative industry:
More than in most fields, our careers live and die by our ability demonstrate specific skills, and our employability is largely a function of convincing those in charge that we've got them. And this is exactly why one of Dr. Dweck's "fixed mind-sets" can be so very damaging.Think of it this way. Two students enter, say, an illustration program at a prestigious art school. One is convinced of her innate talent and skill, the other unsure, but deeply excited about learning and doing illustration, even if it doesn't impress the way her fellow student's does. The first has been told all her life that she has natural talent, and she's there to develop and express it, the second merely enjoys the process, and the acquisition of new skills. Who will wow the teachers first semester? That's an easy one. But who will ultimately be the more successful, able to grow, keep things fresh, take advantage of new media and technologies, avoid getting pigeonholed? That's probably an easy one too.
Unfortunately, the obsession with genius, already strong in North American and Western European societies, is inflated to legendary levels among creative professionals...
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