Comments on: Secrets of Greatness: Practice and Hard Work

By: Herb

Herb — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 01:38:14 +0000

I don't know just how accurate this scientific is but I do agree with the conclusion.

If one is in doubt, then just look a Exxon Mobile and their quarterly earnings. 10.490 Billion.
Exxon Mobile sure knows how to fleece the American Public quite well and gets away with it, which may be proof of what the scientific community concludes

By: Just Me

Just Me — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:40:45 +0000

Also, I think niche areas may come into play. Some people may not be super smart, but they may excel in one or two areas, and if those one or two areas are something you can turn into success, then they can see success.

I do think hard work is important-I don't know that hard work alone makes somebody successful, but I am willing to bet that a lack of hard work doesn't equal success, even when combined with talent. There was a very good football player at my University-he had a reputation as being lazy and not giving 110%. He left college early, was drafter fairly early, and lasted maybe two seasons in the NFL before he was let go. He was a very talented running back, but his lack of hard work caught up to him. While he could get by at the University level with his laziness on his talent alone, it just didn't equal success at the proffessional level.

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 16:44:58 +0000

I find it hard to believe that anyone will put the amount of devotion into anything to achieve greatness (whatever that may mean) that they don't take a certain amount of joy in. Is the joy derived from nature or nurture? Some combination?

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 15:12:10 +0000

I would say that the study shows that while nature is an important trait, it is not sufficient nor determinate. You may not get to pick your field, but in the fields you are suited for, your success will depend on how you nurture your natural talents.

To use your example, no amount of nurture is going to make the acorn into a pine tree, but it will sure have an effect on how big an oak tree might be produced.