Midas Touch

Talent- It is a word that commands a lot of respect and awe. It creates an illusion of power around that individual- a power akin to the “golden touch”. We believe that a talented person has the Midas touch, is capable of great things and immediately mount them on a pedestal. I was of the same opinion, until recently. I got to thinking...... Every individual is special, unique; different in their own way. Every individual possesses “talent” in some form or the other. Then the question arises “why is it that only some people achieve greatness while the majority of the world lives in the shadow of it, meandering through their lives not really knowing neither what they want out of it nor what they are talented at.
There was a story I read sometime ago- A man on reaching heaven notices a forlorn young man sitting downcast. On asking an angel who the gentleman was, the angel replied that the young man was the greatest general who has ever lived. But nobody had ever heard of his name, when questioned about this the angel replied that he would have been the greatest general- had he become one. It gets us thinking. A lot of us are talented in our own unique way...then why do we spend our lives searching for that source of happiness in others rather than ourselves? There is a book called “Talent is never enough”. Over time it has become one of my favourites and a great source of inspiration.
Deep down inside all of us know what we are good at, and that is what brings us joy; it adds meaning to our life. It fills it with vibrant colours and in an ironical sense, affords us a breath of serenity. To be talented is one thing, to fulfil your talent is another. It requires you to discover yourself and possess the confidence to move ahead. A lot of us are scared- of what we really are and sometimes even what we are good at. We wait for various stages, for conditions and circumstances to be fulfilled. But we forget one thing;
This is our life, here, right now. It does not wait for you to get back on your feet or to realize that courage and hard work are the essential ingredients to concote our version of the “Midas touch”. As it was rightly said by Ivan Turgenev:
“If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin”.
Talent is an ingredient in the recipe, it is not the final product that brings a smile onto your face. Talent definitely will take you places, but it will only provide you an introduction to the journey-it is not the vehicle that allows you to reach your destination. Talent for sure is of utmost value; but only if you use it. There have been numerous instances where people possessing the talent and potential have not fared as well as people whose key ingredient is hard work and self-belief. It takes belief in the talent that you possess to power the journey. As a child, I always believed that if you were talented, you were not required to work hard. But i was sorely mistaken... There are a lot of other factors that go into making a success story. You have to believe in yourself; the courage to take the next step. Realise the talent you possess and optimize it.
It comes as a surprise to many the sense of serenity that it provides amid the chaos of the world around us.