What is Talent and what is Skill? Are they the same or different?
Talent is a natural ability to gain a skill or set of skills. Skill is the ability to complete a set of tasks well. Skills are learned and we get better at a craft by practicing intentionally over a period of time. If we want to become better writers, athletes, teachers (or at anything), we can because it’s an skill or set of skills. The beauty of identifying and understanding that something is a talent or a skill is liberating and profound. Once we find clarity that it’s an skill, we can learn and become better at it. Having talent does not mean that hard work, discipline, effort (and others) are not that required or important to become excellent at a craft or a task. While some who are talented can understand or do certain tasks better because of their “natural ability” or “gift”, talent by itself would not be enough for them to be excellent or world-class in their craft.
Here’s a simple distinction between Skill and Talent.
| Skill | Talent | |
| Definition | An ability developed with practice | A natural affinity for a skill |
| Explanation | An ability that, with practice, a person can become an expert in | An ability one is born with that, when nurtured, can develop more quickly than those without the innate talent |
| Impacts | Anyone willing to work on it | Fewer people, who must be born with it |
| Development | Training, education, coaching, and practice | Nature, along with training, mentoring, education, and practice |
Seth Godin, author of The Practice Shipping Creative Work says that “It’s insulting to call a professional talented. She’s skilled, first and foremost. Many people have talent, but only a few care enough to show up fully, to earn their skill. Skill is rarer than talent. Skill is earned. Skill is available to anyone who cares enough.”
So was Micheal Jordan talented or skilled or both when it comes to basketball? Was Mira Rai a “gifted” trail runner than other runners? Is Warren Buffet more skilled or talented or a mix of both at analyzing businesses and financial numbers?