Success is only for ‘talented’ people?

There are so many statements that success is only for talented people. But we don’t know if that’s true. So let’s find out if this is true by using the Question Formulation Technique (QFT). Here’s the sequence we have to do it:

First step: Produce

Following the rules, brainstorm new questions and write them down.

Source: Generasi Gigih 2.0 Program

1. What is talent?
2. What else supports success besides talent?
3. Does every human being born have talent?
4. Why is talent important?
5. How do we develop the talents we have?
6. What if humans are born without talent?

Second step: Improve

Categorize and label questions as Open or Closed, and improve the questions as necessary for clarity, precision, relevance, etc.

Categorize and label question

1. What is talent? (Open)
2. What else supports success besides talent? (Open)
3. Does every human being born have talent? (Closed)
4. Why is talent important? (Open)
5. How do we develop the talents we have? (Open)
6. What if humans are born without talent? (Open)

Improve question

1. What is the definition of talent?
2. What are the things that make people successful besides talent?
3. Is every human being born with a talent or is it a human being who gives birth to a talent?
4. Why is talent an important point for everyone?
5. How do we find and develop the talents we have?
6. What should we do if we are born without talent?

Third step: Prioritize

It’s okay if you got so many questions. It’s time to prioritize!

Select the best 3 questions that will help us to make an informed decision.

The Top 3 Questions

1. What are the things that make people successful besides talent?
2. Is every human being born with a talent or is it a human being who gives birth to a talent?
3. Why is talent an important point for everyone?

Fourth step: Plan

Let’s create a plan with next steps, describing what you will do with those questions.

In order to answer the priority questions:

• What do you need to know? Information
• What do you need to do? Tasks

Information 1:

In her book Grit, psychologist and researcher Angela Duckworth explains that talent alone is not enough for success. Talent with a racket may make a tennis career possible, but more than talent is required for success.

Tasks 1:

According to successful leaders, here are some very simple rules we can follow to be truly successful.

1. Be Passionate. And do what you do for love.
2. Work Hard. Never fool yourself — success comes from hard work.
3. Be Good. So push yourself (and your team) to ensure that you are reaching your highest potential.
4. Focus. Focus always results in success — which is impossible without a clear emphasis on what is most important. Focus requires the pursuit of mission and vision.
5. Push the Limits. Don’t limit yourself to thinking inside the box and don’t let fear get in your way.

Information 2:

Every human being who is born must have talent. In the age of growth, sometimes we do not realize what talents we have, so it is often called hidden talent. When we try something new and we are able to do it successfully above the average person, that’s when we realize that we have talent in that field.

Tasks 2:

In order for a talent to develop, it also needs to be accompanied by interest and practice. A talent that is not accompanied by interest and practice will only become a hidden talent because it does not develop. There are times when a person has talent, but he doesn’t really have any interest in it. Because talent is not always accompanied by interest. This also makes a talent not develop optimally.

Information 3:

Talent is as important or even more important than people think. It’s arguably more underrated than exaggerated. The only aspect of talent that’s overstated concerns people’s assessment of their own talent — most people aren’t as talented as they think they are, especially when they don’t.

Tasks 3:

Optimizing our work to fit our broader interests, beliefs and life activities, and being aware of the invisible social forces that govern organizational dynamics, will ultimately help us to do to the best of our ability.

It’s not complete without reflection!

Reflect on the QFT process, what you’ve learned, how your perspective has changed, etc.

1. What did I learn so far?

I came to know that using the Question Formulation Technique “QFT” can help us think critically and solve problems.

2. How did I learn it?

Asking myself and others to think critically using the 5W1H.

3. What is my conclusion about this statement?

Talent can give us a head start, but hard work beats talent when it comes to success.