Calling someone “talented” is kind of an insult

While I’ve certainly called people “talented” over the years, and meant it as the highest kind of compliment, it might be taken differently than that.

As Seth Godin says in The Practice, “talent is not the same as skill.” He goes on to define each word:

Talent is something we’re both with: it’s in our DNA, magical alignment of gifts.

Skill is earned. It’s learned and practiced and hard-won. It’s insulting to call a professional talented.

If someone has spent thousands of hours becoming an expert at what they do, calling them “talented” is taking away the effort and attributing it to the luck of how they were born.

Rudy sacks O’Hara in practice

A great example of this is from the film “Rudy”. If you’ve somehow not seen it, it’s the mostly-true story of Dan “Rudy” Ruettiger walking on to the Notre Dame football team and eventually getting to play in one game. When it comes to talent, he had none, but fought hard to make the team.

The running back on the team, Jamie O’Hara, is the opposite. Loads of talent, no earned skills. On the last day of practice, Rudy is pushing hard while O’Hara is coasting, and the coach laments O’Hara’s lack of effort throughout his career: