Talking to a couple of pro fighters at the gym the other day about the difference between ‘Skill’ and ‘Talent’, one claimed you can learn a skill but have to have talent naturally, the other insisted that once a skill is learned it becomes a talent. I already know I am a skilled martial artist, I’ve trained for many many years in multiple styles, that said I have very little natural talent, what I know is what I learned and practiced. In regards to Fire Arms, from a very young age I could handle a long gun better than most, no training it just made sense to me, how to acquire a target and hit stuff way out there. So what is the difference between 'Skill; and 'Talent"?
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Good question.
But the answer is not easy.
I was pro soccer player and what I noticed - skill and talent eventually meet at the same point, once you take care of training and practice.
Example → Lionel Messi - born talent, Cristiano Ronaldo - trained skills with hard work. Both achieved the same. Both are on the top.
I think the same applies to almost everything, firearms as well.
No matter how you start: talented or not, skilled or not, you can achieve your goals by hard work, training and practice.
Patience, stamina and will to win give the final result.
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I think skill is learned. Talent is a natural gift above and beyond the normal scope of exposure and experience.
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Lots of shades of grey here. Think naturally talented people can more easily pick up the skills necessary to perform at a high level. But people without natural talent can work harder to build those skills to the same high levels. Think in the end natural talent can only take you so far if you don’t put the work in.
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@Mike164 >> skill “ IMO “ is having your sub conscience learn particular motor skills that require split second timing that your conscious mind is in capable of.
IE” drop something your subconscious reacts without any conscious thought process to catch it. ( auto pilot ) would you concur on this 
in this case talent is something else.
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Think we are in agreement that mastering a skill does require programming your subconscious to act automatically. I know the generally the less I have to think about something the better I am at doing it.
Think having natural talent just means your subconscious has some of those skills preprogrammed or at least more easily programmed than others.
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The term “Muscle Memory” comes to mind. Things that you just do, without thought. I suppose the ‘muscle’ part could be learned so we could call that skill and the 'memory, part may occurs naturally so we could call that talent.
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I’m skillfully talented:grinning:
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@Karacal >> Ya Mon >>>
[quote=“Karacal, post:8, topic:74437, full:true”]
I’m skillfully talented:grinning:
[/quote
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Mike, this post seems far more like a humble brag than a question. Are you looking for accolades on your martial arts prowess because you worked years at it? Ok, that’s awesome. Though I don’t put much stock in most who claim to have trained in “multiple styles”. There’s a lot of garbage styles out there either because of the style being useless or the teacher.
As for the question, there is certainly a “natural talent” in some people but most often those who “claim” to be naturally talented, still had to work hard to learn to hone their skills. Even John Wick was taught as we learned in the 3rd movie. Show me a team of military special ops and I’ll show you countless hours of hard training, dedication and repetition for that team to be as effective as they are.
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In my mind the difference is that talent in a “task” means it comes naturally and easy to you. Talent allows you to get to a certain proficiency level with less effort than someone without talent in that same task. However, talent only get you so far. If you want to reach “superstar” level, talent alone won’t get you there, you have to put in a ton of practice and work.
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@Erik10 >> can you tell me what type of martial arts you practice. I’m still learning and I always have questions
Thank you.
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IMO >>> Talent means two things.
- physical or mental attributes that can enhance the activity.
- genuine interest, Drive, determination, and to really enjoy or love the activity.
IE: anybody can cook by using a cookbook and that’s a lot different then loving to cook and having a natural inventive flair. The best ever example of talent would be chef Todd Gillespie (AKA = @Todd30
I have seen what this gentlemen can do and if that’s not talent than there is no such a thing.
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The old “nature-vs-nurture” question.
Nature can tell us what to nurture, and nurturing can enhance the raw form of what nature has provided.
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I was forced into Judo as soon as I could by my father who was a black belt and competed in his youth. I never made black, only brown but did compete for a bit. We moved around a lot and judo wasn’t always available and neither was he at times to teach me judo so I tried some other types and they all sucked for different reasons. Most karate is useless and it’s become more show than defense. JJ has been molded into BJJ which is great for ground, but I don’t think it includes enough striking. MT is a good form for striking and kicking but like most stand up forms (ie karate, MT, TKD, etc) get them on their back and it’s over. MMA tends to incorporate BJJ with more striking from MT so it’s not bad. Even as an old guy I’ve been also training in Krav Maga which has certainly taught me a few things in the decade I’ve been doing it.
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@Erik10 >> thank you for the reply. Re- type of self defense.
Stay sharp.
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I feel as though and believe that a talent is within a person. To be made into something great has to be worked on and improved upon. It is like to ability to sing. A person that can sing very good with the radio has a good voice and good ears at hearing themselves and the notes. BUT it doesn’t mean they know how to read music and compose music. BUT, the talent is there! I started out by when I was young, reading food label on what is in a can or box. Thats how my cooking skills started. I do have to add that my Grandmother was always an inspiration.
A talent is something that you are instinctually born with that gives you unique skills and abilities. Talent is set apart from knowledge in that it is not a learned behavior, although it can be strengthened and practiced.
Romans 12:6 -8 A talent is something that you are instinctually born with that gives you unique skills and abilities. Talent is set apart from knowledge in that it is not a learned behavior, although it can be strengthened and practiced.
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@Todd30 >>> OK - time to eat. I would like the copper River salmon.
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Just a thought here. It seems it more or less depends on the discipline or activity we are looking at as to how the two words can be applied. Like it was pointed out a skill often is something people can be taught. The more they practice the better they seem to be at the activity. That is easy to measure in things like target shooting or other easily measurable things. However the more artistic an activity seems to be or should I say subjective the more talent seems to excel. You most often need to be taught the skill but with talent you excel in that skill.
Skill seems to get you to the game but if you have talent you seem to take home the trophy. I have known many Olympic class rifle shooters that will never have the impact of Annie Oakley nor would people pay to see them shoot. If we add Savants and Autistic savants we move into level of amazement.
Things get even more complicated in the arts. Music comes to mind. I have know many excellent studio musicians that make a good living. But they never become the star attraction even with a skill level as least equal to the person they are playing for.
I think in the subjective activities Talent is something that lets you push yourself just a bit harder than your skills tell you is possible. Race car drivers, motorcycle racers come to mind. But I may be slanted because I once rode on the same Track with Kenny Roberts when I was trying to get my racing license. I knew that day I had started too late in life to get a skill set to match that kind of talent. Just the musing from my youth.
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