Talent is nothing if you don’t turn it into productive work

Is entrepreneurship inborn? My friends are doing well in creating wealth but I remain static despite my deep connections with prominent families and businesses.
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As we have pointed out in the past, a human being is determined by the genes he inherits from his parents and influenced by the way he experiences the world.

In the old days there was a debate as to whether it was nature or nurture that determines what we become. But that debate is now settled; it is an interplay between the two.

Your question does however raise a number of interesting topics. The first is found in the book of Mathew 25:14-30.

The story is about a man who went on a journey and left his servants with five, two and one talent each “according to ability”. Upon his return, he found that those given more talents had traded them and made more, while the one with the least talent buried it and had not increased the value of the talent.

We read in conclusion: “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Without any intention to preach, the lessons given to Christians here is that success is the product of hard work. Put differently, if one has inborn talents that he buries in the ground, then even the little he has will be taken away.

In your case, the “talents” that you have include deep connections with prominent families and businesses. So, why are you static in spite of all these talents? When did you become static? Is it a new state or have you always been that way? In addition to being from a “good home with connections”, what else do you bring to the table of enterprise?

Do you, for instance, have an education or did you stop school because it would not change your future in any way?

Rudderless young person

The servants were given talents according to their ability. What kind of person are you? When your parents, siblings, friends and potential business partners look at you, do they see a young person who works hard and has a clear view of his goals? Or do they see you as a lazy, rudderless young person who is constantly complaining that life is passing him by?

From your question it sounds like you might be one of those young men from rich families who spend days on end moving from one bar to another and always complaining about the politics of the day, football teams, and offering comments on topics they know nothing about.

Most of them talk of being able to fix appointments with “big people” and more importantly being able to arrange big government tenders.

As they drink expensive whiskies they hold out visiting cards that describe them as being in either the import or export or supplies business. They talk big even as they move from one coffee house to the next, describing how they have negotiated letters of credit for a big shipment of imaginary goods.

As you can see, such persons may have received the genes for hard work but have not put them to action.

The same parable is interesting as it makes the all important point that we are not born equal. More importantly, that the Master recognises that some of his children have greater entrepreneurship skills than others.

Much as you fancy yourself as an entrepreneur, the truth is that your talents lie elsewhere. Perhaps you are destined to be a great teacher, musician, author or even mathematician.

State of paralysis

Young people often make career choices without any consideration of their inborn talents. Just because a classmate has made it in business does not mean that you will make it too. Take stock of your talents and make use of them.

At the end of the day one is accountable for the choices they make. For the first two, more was given. For the third, the little he had was taken away.

As you remain in a state of paralysis that you call static, remember that your parents are growing older.

The prominent families and companies are moving on, and in the process leaving you behind.

In your old age you will have to look at yourself in the mirror and account for your actions.

At the end of the day, it is what you do with the talents that you have today that will define you as successful or indeed as a failure.