Talent and Ambition Take One

Talent and Ambition Take One

 To a snap question I gave a snap responds – My talent is people, my ambition is to change the world a little every day… Does that sound corny? Does it sound a bit silly and airy fairy? Or is it simply the same as Human Leadership  A Catalyst for Change expressed in a different and perhaps less talented and ambitious way?

“Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?” A question asked a diverse selection of high achieving individuals in The Inventory in FT Magazine’s weekly. 

In my experience the majority of respondents will say you need both to succeed. “Talent is what you are, ambition is what you have” – or not.  Then there is “opportunity”, “luck” and “hard work” to select but a few of many added responses. I will select and add a few more. Confidence and self-knowledge, focus, tenacity and drive are in the top ten. Knowing what you want and why you want it is important. Knowing what you really want, if your talent and ambition are strong enough to carry you through.

As a teenager I was keen on craft and design and put my hands to both pottery and textile work. I had an excellent art teacher who let not only me but all her students have the opportunity to expand, test boundaries and have the courage to try how far our talent and ambition would carry and take us. I learned that however much I enjoyed testing new forms and boundaries in clay and design it wasn’t enough to carry me through, not enough ambition and passionate determination to put my all into testing how far my talent could and would take me. What was most important and has stayed with me for life is that I was encouraged and given the chance and opportunity to try. That was immensely powerful, difficult, challenging and exciting. Testing boundaries, given the freedom and responsibility to try and try again while being well supported in error and success.

So what is most important for you – “Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?”