Talent - Skill - Joy

Just because you have training and skills in something doesn't mean you're talented at it.

Just because you have a talent at something doesn't mean you possess the skills and training to take it somewhere.

Just because you enjoy an activity doesn't mean you have either a talent for it or the skills and training to take it beyond the most basic level.

What happens when you have a natural talent, get the required skills and training in how to use it, and that activity brings you great and lasting joy? You have the potential to change the world, or at least your part of it.

Two out of three ain't bad. Or is it?

I was on the swim team in high school. When I was a freshman, there was a junior named Doug who joined the team. He was an incredibly talented sprinter and was breaking records left and right. But Doug only showed up for two or three practices a week, and despite his success he quit the team after just one year.

Doug had talent and skill but no joy in the sport, so his swim career went nowhere.

I swam with another athlete named Tom that had little natural ability, and although he learned proper technique and happily showed up to every practice, his joy of the sport wasn't enough to yield any success during competition.

Thinking about the contrast between Doug and Tom, it's easy to envision a Venn diagram representing three components of success: talent, skill and joy.

The Great Convergence

Can you think of an example of an individual who possesses talent, skill and joy in the same endeavor?

The first that comes to my mind is the legendary guitarist Eric Johnson¹. He hit stardom in 1990 with his instrumental hit, Cliffs of Dover² (it earned him a Grammy in 1991 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance).

You can often spot talent in a musician when you see how many times other musicians refer to their style as "groundbreaking." They create new ways of expressing their musical vision that sets a standard that countless others try to mimic.

Johnson's skill is readily apparent to anyone trying to play his songs. His mastery of fundamental music theory and his flawless execution becomes clear when you see him perform live.

Finally, Eric Johnson's love of playing guitar is revealed in several ways. His longevity in the field requires a deep and genuine passion — how can someone achieve that level of long-lasting success without it? In interviews you see the pure joy he has for music in general and the guitar in particular as he describes his process and perspective.

It is people like Eric Johnson who represent the perfect combination of talent, skill and joy in one endeavor.

Conversely, can you think of anyone who has reached that level of success in the absence of one or even two of those aspects? Can it be possible to reach the top of your game without an adequate level of skill or natural talent? What if you, like Doug the swimmer, possess the talent and skill but lack the joy? Like Doug, you'd most likely move on to other things, orphaning any chance of true success.

Can it be possible to reach the top of your game without an adequate level of skill or natural talent?

Assessing Joy

The Core Values Index™ psychometric assessment is used by employers to screen candidates and by individuals who want to better understand their own emotional hardwiring.

One of the reasons why the CVI has been so successful is it accurately reveals the innate and unchanging drivers within you.

The Core Values Index psychometric assessment reveals your joy.

The value of the CVI is that it tells you what kind of activities you will enjoy the most and why. This matters in the employment space because a worker who is emotionally aligned with the needs of their role will outperform their peers who don't share that alignment. They'll also outlast their misaligned peers due to their 50% or lower turnover.

Like Doug, it's hard to stick with something you don't enjoy.

In your personal life, your personality's DNA as outlined by your Core Values Index profile will reveal what you enjoy or don't enjoy in relationships. It shows the learning method most efficient for you. It even describes the way you react to stress and how you prefer to communicate with others.

What the CVI doesn't measure is skill or talent.

Skill is something anyone can obtain. It is a matter of training, education and practice. This is why employers should hire for personality, not skill.

Skills can be taught but the innate and unchanging character and emotional alignment between the individual and the role is of paramount importance.

How do you measure talent? That's tough to do, but it's a bit like art: you know it when you see it.

NOTES:

[1] Eric Johnson, Wikipedia

[2] Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson, performed live at Austin City Limits [YouTube]

Core Values Index™ and CVI™ are trademarks of Taylor Protocols, Inc.