The Myth of Giftedness
Do You Want a Gifted or Hardworking Child?
By Jim Taylor, Ph.D.
Contrary to what many parents think, giftedness is actually overrated as a contributor to success. Anders Ericcson, a professor at Florida State University, has studied expert performance in sports, music, mathematics and other activities. He found that so-called innate ability was unnecessary to predict who would become most successful. The single greatest predictor of who would be become successful was how many hours they devoted to the activity.
In a nutshell, the more they practiced, the better they were. Focusing on hard work will teach your children essential life skills – persistence, patience, perseverance, discipline, time management and how to overcome obstacles, setbacks, frustration and failure – that will enable them to fully realize their ability.
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