Talent

[Yodon]

Hi,

Im still looking for that thing which comes naturally to somone and they can do really well with minimal effort, my landlady once said to me im a natural thinker and i still dont really get what she meant but even so how do i put that to good use as in our modern day culiture people are generally shunned for using their heads, also my friends often say i give them a headache when i talk to them.

anyway could i get some advice of how to search or what to look for etc

thanks

 

[Words]

Good Question.

Do you like customization-based RPG's or RTS?

If so, CIA? Some sort of system-analyst?

In daily life, you just make systems [and improve their efficiency] towards a goal. For example, in school, you could create an idea related to having the least possible homeworks done. Specificity is recommended and time-related stuff needs to be scheduled.

For INTP's, it's generally about the process, not the goal. So just find some random goal and have fun with your strategic ideas. Community Service Ideas?

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I see your Multiple Intelligence test results. You might be good at:

• Landscaping
• Interior Design
• Surveying

 

[Trebuchet]

Im still looking for that thing which comes naturally to somone and they can do really well with minimal effort

There is nothing that anyone, of any personality type, can do "really well with minimal effort." (Except, I suppose, dilettante.) Doing anything really well takes enormous effort, though the payoff is obviously much better if it plays to your strengths.

What are your strengths? What are your skills, other than thinking? What do you think about? If your head is filled with ideas, maybe you could try inventing things or writing books? Do you work with your hands much? You could try being an electrician if you get proper training. They need to think about what they are doing all the time.

 

[Ermine]

How is being a natural thinker not a talent, as you defined it? You can't help but think, and it's not hard to think. But really, everyone may have tendencies which dispose them to different skills, but everyone has to work at their talents. For example, most people would say I have a talent for art. But that would have meant nothing if I haven't been working at it for about 10 years of my 19 year old life. Same kind of thing with the piano. I'm pretty good at it now, but I still had to practice for 11 years. It's not that it took me a long time to get it. I love listening to and making music, but it requires lots of practice for anyone.

 

[g0dc0mplex]

I wish I had the discipline that you have Ermine! All too often I get frustrated with something and give up before I have a chance to see if I could ever excel at it. Maybe it's because so many things seem so much more difficult for me right from the start. It's not that I learn too slow, which is how it sounds, it's that nothing ever just comes natural, that gift that so many others have that I wish I had. Maybe I should stop waiting for that gift and just start practicing the things I enjoy more. Very solid advice and much appreciated.

 

[Ermine]

To clarify, it's not all my discipline. In the case of art, I created external obligations for myself, by taking art classes. Then I'd have to finish a certain project by a certain date, and it has to be my very best because I want a good critique of it in class. And for piano, it really helped that my mom was my piano teacher. I just couldn't avoid her, so I couldn't avoid piano practice. So even though I didn't like the first few years, she made me feel obligated to practice regularly. As a result, I got good enough at playing the piano that I could enjoy playing for its own sake. Now, my mom doesn't give me lessons anymore, but I love playing piano to the point that I could lose track of time and play for hours on end.

It's all a matter of finding endeavors you love, and creating external obligations so you can turn practice into a habit.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I always had a problem with practicing physical art. I understand you need to have some discipline to be good, but I feel there are too many rules and details when it is supposed to be creative expression, with emphasis on the creative part. It may just be my INTPness, but I feel that if you aren't naturally good at something then it wasn't meant for you to do.

 

[Ermine]

I always had a problem with practicing physical art. I understand you need to have some discipline to be good, but I feel there are too many rules and details when it is supposed to be creative expression, with emphasis on the creative part. It may just be my INTPness, but I feel that if you aren't naturally good at something then it wasn't meant for you to do.

How do you know if something is natural if you don't try?

While I understand that everyone has a different relation to rules/details, these can actually maximize creativity. When there aren't any restrictions, there are too many factors to focus on at once. But with rules, you can focus on a couple chosen factors and concentrate your creative abilities accordingly.

Personally, I think INTPness is a bit of a cop out. You are who you are, but it's just wrong and lazy to resign yourself to what is and not try for what could be.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

How do you know if something is natural if you don't try?

While I understand that everyone has a different relation to rules/details, these can actually maximize creativity. When there aren't any restrictions, there are too many factors to focus on at once. But with rules, you can focus on a couple chosen factors and concentrate your creative abilities accordingly.

Personally, I think INTPness is a bit of a cop out. You are who you are, but it's just wrong and lazy to resign yourself to what is and not try for what could be.

I deduced that logic before I typed myself in any typology system. So you can probably attribute it to laziness or inability to focus on details.

I have tried though. I willingly took a year of highschool painting and didn't get anywhere. I just know I feel more comfortable going on wild tangents of unrestricted creativity which inadvertently always leads to undeveloped concepts, but I would like to have some discipline in my attempts.

 

[bloozie]

I would say that you should get into things that would compliment what you're good at and focus on it, but be sure to move on to other ventures once you feel that you have applied yourself to a certain limit.

For me, I noticed that I preferred subjects such as business and fine art. I was interested in each of these subjects and took classes on them, but I didn't find any interest in choosing one over the other as a future career. So, I researched and looked for a major that combined the two together and ended up with Industrial Design. This area combined my likes for sketching, aesthetics, problem solving, and people. Even though it combined the things that I liked, I still had to learn new things...

Basically to make a long story short...The things that I had a natural inclination to...business and art. I would essentially have to acquire new skills which would compliment them. What I found was that I was able to work with my hands to create something tangible and that I was able to use my mind for problem solving... essentially making Industrial Design the type of career that's the best fit for me. My teachers and peers even say so.

Talent isn't born overnight for the majority of the people in this world. It'll take years of practice to hone such skills... But even in the end there will always be room for improvement. Find something that you love to do and compliment it with something else that can make you produce results.

 

[snafupants]

if one wants to play the guitar like jimi hendrix or chess like bobby fischer, then one has to be born with a certain amount of talent - some would call it god given ability. this is needed to be great. however, with enough practice, one could become pretty good at either guitar playing or chess and compete with nearly anyone. but, again, typically someone is endowed with greatness. if you want to play an instrument straight from your soul, something better be there at birth.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

if one wants to play the guitar like jimi hendrix or chess like bobby fischer, then one has to be born with a certain amount of talent - some would call it god given ability. this is needed to be great. however, with enough practice, one could become pretty good at either guitar playing or chess and compete with nearly anyone. but, again, typically someone is endowed with greatness. if you want to play an instrument straight from your soul, something better be there at birth.

My thoughts exactly. Some people just play to get better and others have to practice.

 

[noctilux]

To clarify, it's not all my discipline. In the case of art, I created external obligations for myself, by taking art classes. Then I'd have to finish a certain project by a certain date, and it has to be my very best because I want a good critique of it in class.
[...]
It's all a matter of finding endeavors you love, and creating external obligations so you can turn practice into a habit.

I agree completely! This is the way I work, too. It has worked very well for me at school and made me practise at least a little for my weekly music lessons.

I have been wondering about what talent really is myself. I think it might be closely linked with interest. You might notice you are naturally good at something, which in turn leads to an increased interest. That means that work is perhaps not as tough, and more interesting, for someone who is talented. Still, the work needs to be done.

What I am trying to say is this: Someone who is talented at maths will probably enjoy it more and be more interested than someone who is not, but he will still have to learn all the conventions and techniques. He might understand them more quickly than others, but he will still have to make an effort.

I think the notion of talent as something that makes everything completely effortless is probably false, and propagated by the media. No scientist is born knowing about the theory of general relativity. Einstein studied and worked on his theories for years. He didn't suddenly have a flash of inspiration, at least not without having thought about a subject for ages.

Find something you enjoy; chances are, you're probably talented. Be prepared to work and don't expect everything to come easily!

Another thing: Using your head might be tough in social situations sometimes (it depends on who you're interacting with, too), but remember that there are many jobs where your skills are much more important than social ones.

 

[johndude77]

Talent generally comes from an interest that one has been performing their whole life. However, I completely agree that you can also have "natural" talent. This would be like picking up a flute and playing it very well for your first time ever.

I for one have a talent in sports. I've been playing baseball for 10 years and I've been doing very good and on my high school team. People tell me I have a natural talent for pitching, but maybe that's just because I've been doing it for all my life. Or is it something that I just naturally had? I wish I knew, but nevertheless talent is something that interests you, and you can work hard on and be half decent at it.

It's 8 in the morning, what am I doing up?

 

[Donovitch]

Hi,

Im still looking for that thing which comes naturally to somone and they can do really well with minimal effort, my landlady once said to me im a natural thinker and i still dont really get what she meant but even so how do i put that to good use as in our modern day culiture people are generally shunned for using their heads, also my friends often say i give them a headache when i talk to them.

anyway could i get some advice of how to search or what to look for etc

thanks

I think it is more a case of finding something that you can get paid for that draws you in to the point you don't realize the effort you are putting into it. It may be exhausting but you find yourself drawn to it.

 

[johndude77]

I think it is more a case of finding something that you can get paid for that draws you in to the point you don't realize the effort you are putting into it. It may be exhausting but you find yourself drawn to it.

You dont have to be paid for a talent.

 

[The Gopher]

I have a great talent for lazyness!

 

[Silent_Rebel]

I have always been very athletic (specificly basketball). It is slightly annoying as an INTP because of all the people. I also have a little more than a two foot vertical leap that came out of nowhere.