Well Said: Persistence and Talent

Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent.

Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

Let's face it, this is why Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 Hour Rule resonates. Most of us are not geniuses or inherently talented like Mozart. We've got to be persistent to get where we want to go. It's also why a lot of cultures traditionally venerate the elderly. They've put in their 10,000 hours. They might have some wisdom or skills to pass on.

That's not a message that's really popular in mainstream American culture. But it's true nonetheless.