For the longest time, I marvelled at people who seemed naturally smart and successful. I am always not good enough, but having a first-hand observation of my son’s journey changed that belief. He was streamed to the bottom 12% of his cohort during his PSLE examinations. Yet, something remarkable happened. Slowly, he changed. He honed his tech craft so well on his own beyond what was taught that he won Silver against the best polytechnic students while still an ITE student in World Skills Singapore 2023. During his ITE internship, he impressed his superior by leading a project involving ITE, polytechnic, and university interns. Our daughters have undergone similar transformations.
Many of us will have similar observations that it is possible to succeed without being deemed as (academically) smart but through sheer determination, perseverance, and a growth mindset. The belief that success is determined by innate talent is a pervasive myth and a limiting belief. While natural abilities can provide a head start, we may have placed too much emphasis on them. Parents and educators play a crucial role in encouraging a growth mindset by celebrating effort, resilience, and the process of learning, as well as recognizing the diversity of talents rather than just innate talent or academic achievements.
How often do we let fear of failure stop us from trying something new?
Growth mindset
My son’s story isn’t unique and pales compared to the great artists and thinkers of history. From artists like da Vinci and Michelangelo to modern innovators like Elon Musk, success has rarely been the result of talent alone. These individuals developed their skills over years of dedicated practice and effort.
Many started at a disadvantage. They were born into challenging environments and situations. They have to overcome a lot more challenges that led them to success, not just their natural talent. Look at Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi and many successful business founders. The story of Franci Ngannou was extraordinary. We would not think of them as having innate ability, but, perhaps, their extraordinary years of unwavering hard work and perseverance to work towards their goals.
A key factor in overcoming the limitations imposed by the talent myth is adopting a growth mindset. This mindset, popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck, posits that intelligence and abilities are not fixed traits but rather can be developed through effort and perseverance. Individuals with a growth mindset believe that challenges are opportunities for learning and improvement, rather than obstacles that reveal their inherent limitations. By embracing this perspective, individuals can cultivate resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to take risks, all of which are essential for achieving success.
It’s important to remember that no matter how gifted a person is, it is not enough. We have to learn from others, collaborate, and overcome challenges and criticism. When we study the lives of many successful people, their achievements are often the result of hard work and perseverance rather than mere talent.
Technology as a leveller
Moreover, technology has completely changed how we access information, connect with others, and chase our goals. The internet has opened up knowledge to everyone, no matter where they start. This levels the playing field, letting people from all backgrounds learn new skills, explore different careers, and work with others around the world. We’ve seen this firsthand with our children, who use technology to explore their interests and build their skills.
Online platforms and social media have also given us new ways to promote ourselves and connect with people, creating chances to show our talents and reach a global audience.
In today’s world, technology gives everyone the chance to learn and grow, no matter where they begin. With the right mindset, technology truly becomes an equalizer.
There are more peaks.
The traditional school system often prioritizes standardized tests, academic achievement and qualifications, leading to a narrow definition of success. With improving technology and easy access to information, academic achievement will continue to depreciate. We should be overly obsessive with academic excellence and neglect the other possible talents and skills that our kids have and should develop. There are more peaks to life than grades.
As I’ve seen with my own children, the paths to success are diverse. They range from artistic expression to scientific innovation, and with the right support and hard work, anyone can find their own way to thrive.
Dangers of being gifted with innate abilities
However, there is a danger in relying too heavily on innate talent. When individuals believe they are inherently gifted, they may become complacent, less open to feedback, and less willing to put in the effort required for continuous improvement. This can lead to a false sense of security and hinder their ability to adapt to new challenges. Even the most talented individuals must continually learn, grow, and work hard to maintain their success.
Question: … Stanford has a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs; students that are entrepreneurs and maybe they’re computer science majors or engineering majors of some sort. What advice would you give them to improve their chances of success?
Jensen Huang: You know, one of my (I think) great advantages is that I have very low expectations and I mean that. Most of the Stanford graduates have very high expectations and you deserve to have expectations because you came from a great school. You were very successful; you’re on top of your top of your class; you were able to pay for tuition and then you’re graduating from one of the finest institutions on the planet. You’re surrounded by other kids that are just incredible. You naturally have very high expectations.
People with very high expectations have very low resilience and unfortunately resilience matters in success. I don’t know how to teach it to you except for I hope suffering happens to you.
I was fortunate that I grew up with my parents providing a condition for us to be successful on the one hand but there were plenty of opportunities for setbacks and suffering… To this day, I use the word the phrase “pain and suffering” inside our company with great glee … and I mean that this is going to cause a lot of pain and suffering and I mean that in a happy way because you want to train, you want to refine the character of your company, you want greatness out of them and greatness is not intelligence as you know. Greatness comes from character and character isn’t formed out of smart people. It’s formed out of people who suffered … If I could I wish upon you, I don’t know how to do it but you know, for all of you, Stanford students, I wish upon you know, ample doses of pain and suffering.
Jensen Huang, NVIDIA CEO, 2024 SIEPR Economic Summit
We can, we will.
Have you ever held yourself back by believing you’re not talented enough?
When was the last time you challenged yourself to learn something new, despite feeling unsure?
We need to develop the belief that we can achieve great things despite a lack of innate abilities. We all have our interests and strengths. With a growth mindset, we will keep learning, improving, and overcoming the odds to create our unique capability to excel and succeed.
In conclusion, the belief that success is decided only by natural talent is too simple and risky. With more access to technology and resources, having a growth mindset is becoming more important. While natural abilities may give you a head start, it’s the mix of hard work, perseverance, and a growth mindset that really leads to success. We aren’t shaped by the gifts we’re born with, but by the skills we build through learning and self-improvement.
What’s your next step? What challenge will you take on today to push your boundaries and grow?
