Quincy Troupe, “A Poem for ‘Magic’”

GENIUS?SHEER

GeniusIs it a natural gift?

Or sweat and toil?

• Won three state titles and one national title in high school

• Drafted first overall at 18

• Signed for $90 million with Nike before playing his first NBA game

LeBron James

Definitely a natural. Right?

• First to the gym in the morning

• Works on his shot three hours a day, seven days a week

• Puts himself through grueling workouts

• Don’t forget the yoga

• First to the gym in the morning

• Works on his shot three hours a day, seven days a week

• Puts himself through grueling workouts

• Don’t forget the yoga

Then again …

“[James] is a guy who understands if I’m going to be the greatest ever, I can’t take a day off.”

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown

“astonishingly gifted”

“passionate and intuitive”

“a conducting animal”

Gustavo DudamelGustavo DudamelConductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic—at 28

He’s a walking miracle. Right?

• Started music lessons at age five

• Practiced two to three hours a day

• Arranged his toy figures in an “orchestra” so he could conduct them

On the other hand …On the other hand …

“brilliant”

“an astonishing intellect”

“an immensely gifted young writer”

Zadie SmithSold her first novel for hundreds of thousands of dollars—when she was 21 years old

Must be nice to be a literary genius …

“The beginning is so painful, the end is torturous.”

“The art is in the attempt, and [that] amounts to some

of the hardest intellectual and emotional work you’ll ever do.

It is a writer’s duty.”

… or maybe not.

Zadie Smith, on writing:

Number one single at age ten; Top-selling album of all time

Michael Jackson

“a prodigy”

“a genius”

“overwhelming musical gifts”

“cuts across all boundaries of taste and style”

A star is born …

“To do this you have to sacrifice your life, your childhood.”

“I’m never pleased with anything. I’m a perfectionist. It’s part of who I am.”

Michael Jackson

… or created?From the age of four, he was pressured by his father to rehearse.

SUCCESSEveryone wants it.

Not everyone achieves it.

Which is more important in life—

hard work or natural talent?

Who are the most successful people you know? • What do you admire—their

talent or their dedication? • born champion • hard worker • What’s your greatest

talent? Were you born with it, or did you develop it? • Take a bow. • Put your

nose to the grindstone. • What achievement makes you the proudest? • How

much work did you put into it? • natural talent • commitment • List three personal

goals. What do you need to do to achieve them? • It’s in the genes. • Practice

makes perfect. • What stands between you and success? • artistry • experience

• talent • money • Who are the most successful people you know? • What do

you admire—their talent or their dedication? • born champion • hard worker •

What’s your greatest talent? Were you born with it, or did you develop it? • Take

a bow. • Put your nose to the grindstone. • What achievement makes you the

proudest? • How much work did you put into it? • natural talent • commitment •

List three personal goals. What do you need to do to achieve them? • It’s in the

genes. • Practice makes perfect. • What stands between you and success? •

artistry • experience • talent • money • Who are the most successful people you

know? • What do you admire—their talent or their dedication? • born champion •

hard worker • What’s your greatest talent? Were you born with it, or did you

develop it? • Take a bow. • Put your nose to the grindstone. • What achievement

makes you the proudest? • How much work did you put into it? • natural talent •

commitment •

put your voice on recordRAWWRITE

Which is more important in life—

hard work or natural talent?