I wasn’t aware of this necessarily; but after seeing your post and contemplating it, what felt the most real and solid for me is that we (humans, not sure if it extends to all forms of consciousness) are born with a proclivity for heightened ability in some areas of being and doing, a “natural ability”; and limitations or weaknesses in other areas.
Not many people know or would guess this, but I love football. Everything about it. So it’s pretty common for me to casually walk around the house and comment “in my next life i am going to be a Super Bowl winning NFL quarterback!” Which makes my wife laugh. Because I’m a pretty small guy who doesn’t “appear” to be anything close to a football player. But I loved playing as a kid, like a lot of people. As we grew up it became clear that i wasn’t showing the “natural ability” for football thst one needed. Compared to other guys my age. In junior high our coach suggested i “try out for gymnastics or wrestling, because you’re too small to keep playing on this team son”. True story. I’ll never forget that day. I was bummed but not surprised. It was clear that “I” was not born with the same abilities that some of the other guys my age had.
(And perhaps comparing/sorting/categorizing goes along with this idea of “ability”. What we mean by “natural ability”… Versus what? Versus who?) We can see it. In others. In ourselves. Kids who are “just born with a natural ability” for something(s). As if they brought it with them from another lifetime.
Ironically for me it was this football moment at the age of around 10 that compelled me to start taking music more seriously. Not being allowed to stay on the team w my friends. I had always been great at music. Since we could remember. So I didnt take it seriously. It was easy. Not a challenge like playing football. Hah! Wow. Transparent belief!
Are there abilities that you possess so easily and naturally that you dismiss them? Overlook them? Underestimate them?
Reincarnation: being born with a natural ability st something. It’s fascinating to ponder 🤔… abilities perfected over lifetimes. If one is inclined to believe in such things.
Other theories say “it’s genetic”. It’s in the blood. Passed on genetically… Can all abilities be passed on genetically? Or just some?
Genetics we now know play a big role in what we’re good at, bad at, etc. But there are plenty of exceptions. Still plenty of missing pieces in our understanding. Both reincarnation and genetics could be true.
Still other theories posit that having an incredible ability at something comes from “practice practice practice”. Definitely plays a role. Doesn’t help in the “natural ability” department. Did Tom Brady become Tom Brady simply because he practiced a lot? Or Andre Agassi? Or Bob Dylan? (I’m not sure WHAT would or could help in the “natural ability” department — THAT is what I’d like to explore more… As a professional musician/recording artist who’s been around other professionals for the last 30 years I can state undoubtedly that some are just born with IT and some try really damn hard but just never quite get it. Referring to a wide variety of different skills, be it writing songs or playing lead guitar or being an incredible drummer. The key to our biz is KNOWING what you’re good at and perfecting it and not pretending to be good at things that you’re not. Because others notice it immediately. They see you. Because they are you. You’re not going to fool a room full of musicians that you’re an awesome drummer if you’re not. That shiz is born, not crafted, as we say.) But still yes practice is essential. In all my years of studying the greatest football players of all time, the one thing they all have in common is this never yielding dedication to practice. No matter what. Rain or shine. Sick or well. Every day for their entire life until that moment they reach the Super Bowl they practiced. It’s awe inspiring. All athletes seem to have it.
It seems to be a desire to be GREAT. Not just have ability.
So… were they BORN with a “natural ability” to be great at sports? And then perfected it through practice? What if they were never introduced to sports?
Will/does the person with an ability in something always eventually find that thing at some point? Regardless of whether it’s introduced to them or not?
Are there areas where you might have an incredible ability that you just haven’t discovered yet? 🤔
Something else just occurred to me: there are arenas/fields where one can learn and then practice to have a great ability in it. No “natural ability” necessary. There are other fields where it doesn’t matter how much one learns or practices; they’re never going to have as much ability as someone who was “born with a natural ability” in it. Categorizing those different fields would be an interesting experiment, to see if there is any collective alignment or corecept.
Sports, the arts, mathematics, ideation, mechanics, social skills, caring for others, oration? Interesting to contemplate 🤔.
Tired now. Peace and love to you all. Xoxo
