A quote popularized by famous NBA basketball player Kevin Durant is: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”. This quote floats around the sports world and is often stated by coaches to push their team, yet it is never questioned to what degree this quote applies to real life. Oftentimes, the opportunities, original talent, and other characteristics of someone’s journey is disregarded by others especially when the person is known as a hard worker. These other possible influences include the reasoning behind the person’s grit whether that is a belief based on talent or an event that triggered the growth of grit. Educational psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth believes talent and intelligence are overrated in comparison to grit as determinants of long-term success. Grit is an extremely important factor to the success of a person, yet moderate grit is only a boost to the necessary talent and the opportunities given as a consequence of the talent–which are more significant in the achievement of one’s goals.
Although a majority of people perceive an immense amount of grit as a driving factor in the success of someone, it is merely a rumor to create hard workers. Oprah Winfrey is known to have grown up in extremely harsh conditions and faced years of torment and strain both physically and mentally. Though she faced these challenges, she overcame them to grow into the person you know today, a hard-working, dedicated, and influential celebrity. Oprah’s natural charisma truly boosted her early career. As she reached out for jobs, recruiters saw her talent and decided on her, allowing her to unlock pivotal opportunities such as a high school radio job, a full scholarship, and a broadcasting career by nineteen. No teenager or young woman would receive these opportunities in any other capacity. Her opportunities created new connections and built her steps as she grew in the communication world. In Into the Wild, Christopher McCandless lacked many tools and tech, yet still survived comfortably in the cruel Alaskan woods. McCandless’ natural intelligence and adaptability combined with his previous experience in nature without many resources gave him a major advantage to others who end up in the woods. He wasn’t solely a wandering traveler but a seasoned and educated young man in great condition to stay in the woods. The innate talent and resulting opportunities were contributors to the outcome of their lives as well as their predicaments. He was effectively able to forage, endure rough conditions, and remain resilient enabled by his previous experience. His tragic end underscores that grit can only go so far when talent and opportunity run dry.
Talent is a highly significant factor in a person’s success, and moderate grit serves only as a boost to the natural ability–which holds greater weight in determining the achievement of someone’s ambitions. Two situations arise, people who use this talent to push further than others and those who use this talent to be equivalent to others as seen by McCandless and students. The protagonist, Chris McCandless, of Into the Wild had many talents including his survival skills, athleticism or endurance, independence, and philosophical thinking. These traits allowed him to survive in the woods, hike long journeys, and to stay mentally stable and unscathed until he became rash without food. McCandless’ skills and adaptability furthered his length of life and created the fascinating story we now read. Yes, McCandless did have to work hard to reach the point he did, but the hard work was a small part of the reason he could survive comfortably. The reason McCandless eventually died was not because of his perseverance, but rather his knowledge that he had been born with and had crafted over the years. The different skills McCandless had were present in his foraging, hunting, organization, and more as he was capable of maintaining his stock in the woods. Grit was a catalyst to McCandless’ journey as the skills he entered the journey with ended up allowing him to prevail and meet his inevitable demise. In Lower Merion School District (LMSD), there is a gifted program–which begins in second grade when students take a placement test–creating a sense of being less academically compared to others. This program allows the initial talent students have and tries to boost the superiority by giving them creative and challenging problems to work on. As students grow up, the LMSD gifted program loses its means as the students begin to even out educationally. Though this is true, students in the gifted program have the talent that they only have to work a fair amount in order to maintain the grades in equivalence to students outside the program. Seemingly, grit has evened out the spectrum of students, yet the students in the program have begun to work less to create equivalent work while maintaining A grades. If students are born with enough talent, they are able to counterbalance it with moderate grit. A striking truth is revealed, talent creates a lasting advantage, reducing the need for relentless grit. Talent within students is seen by educators and others allowing for different influences to give opportunities to those seen with potential.
A person’s talent creates opportunities which produce brilliant outcomes, and while moderate grit can provide a boost, it is the opportunities received that boost in opening doors to success and advancement. McCandless’ journey came to fruition as he entered the woods and stumbled upon a bus filled with different tools: ranging from books to a barrel stove–which he used for warmth and cooking. The length of McCandless’ survival was majorly due to the opportunity the bus was for his way of life. His talent helped him to make use of these items and boost his survival days. Entertainment was now taken care of, cooking was now simple, foraging was easier, and more letting MCCandless to show how natural ability amplifies the value of fortunate breaks. Tufts University Men’s Lacrosse Team holds an annual private vs public school game where they play an intersquad game splitting the teams between the two forms of previous education. Often, private schools are known for the athletic opportunities they give student athletes with honorable coaches, funding, and promotion. As the private school dominated the game it was clear the talents which allowed players to go to these private institutions led to the opportunities of them getting much better resources for their future career. The talent someone is born with creates a domino effect with opportunities and success being in the future of their lives.
Talent will be beaten by hard work unless the talented person can express some grit in order to gain success. Though grit is seen as a major impact upon the outcome of something, it is solely a minor part of a machine which uses talent and opportunities to function as a whole. Talent may not decide the outcome of your life, but if you act upon this helping factor you grow to reach far past your dreams.