Why Having Talent Usually Isn’t Enough

Have you ever wondered why some talented people manage to achieve so much, while others with considerable talent seem mired in mediocrity? Sometimes less-talented individuals rise to levels of accomplishment that more-talented peers can only envy.

We see this in every area of life: “Most likely to succeed” high school graduates who never amount to anything out of the ordinary, while largely overlooked classmates rise to prominence. Sometimes even becoming nationally or internationally known in their chosen fields of endeavor. We see this with school teachers, physicians, authors and artists, business executives, military leaders, musicians, athletes, scientists and innovators.

So what’s the difference? What separates the truly accomplished person from talented ones who never fulfill their potential? There can be many contributing factors: finding the right environments for using their talents; inner motivation; effective training and mentoring. Maybe you can think of others. But there’s one factor we usually don’t hear about.

Brian Kight, a noted business consultant and motivational speaker, explained a key reason he has observed for the difference.“Talent is common. Discipline is rare,” he said. “The combination is elite. Discipline produces what talent promises.”

Among Kight’s clients are sports teams, an ideal place for seeing how wide is the gap between talent and achievement. Take, my favorite sport – college football. Every year during the pre-season, pundits study the various rosters – returning starters, four- and five-star recruits, caliber of coaching – and submit their projections for the coming season.

These so-called experts have done their research, devoted many hours to their respective analyses, and submitted their best-educated guesses. Invariably, some of their prognostications fall short, sometimes stunningly so. One reason is that you can’t judge on-field performance based on talent alone.

As Kight has suggested, a key factor for determining success is discipline. Athletes maximizing their talents by spending countless hours in training and conditioning programs; focusing on their respective responsibilities; preparing diligently for upcoming opponents, and working together effectively. Their names also don’t appear on the police blotters for doing things they shouldn’t have been doing.

Discipline is a recurring theme in the Scriptures, as well. When we read about “discipline” in the Bible, it’s not speaking about punishment for wrongdoing, but rather God’s method for correcting and training His children. For instance, Proverbs 3:11 admonishes, “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in.”

Another passage, Hebrews 12:5-7, says much the same:

“… ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.’”

Obviously these passages refer to our being disciplined by the Lord, rather than self-discipline. But again, to use the football analogy, a successful coach will discipline players in a variety of ways. At the same time, he expects them to implement discipline in their own lives as well.

Writing to his protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul instructed him to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the worth of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). He’s saying that to be a genuine, fruitful follower of Jesus Christ, we can’t be passive. We must be consciously striving, working diligently and with discipline to become the men and women God intends for us to be.

As another passage tells us, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to all who love him” (James 1:12). To persevere means much more than to simply endure or withstand difficult times; it means to courageously face adversity, working through it and seeking to remain true to the goals and purposes we believe the Lord has provided for us.

Paul also liked to use sporting metaphors. Referring to athletic competitions that were common in his day, he wrote, "Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable" (1 Corinthians 9:25). Or as the New Living Translation expresses it, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”

The Scriptures don’t use the word “talent” as much as they do “gifts,” but it’s clear that every believer has at least one spiritual gift that God intends for us to use for His glory. Through devotion and discipline, we can use those gifts in such a way that we will one day hear Him welcome us with, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” (Matthew 25:21). Just to hear this will have made our discipline more than worth any sacrifice it required.

Discipline Isn’t a Dirty Word

When you hear the word discipline, what comes to mind? 

Discipline is a versatile word with a variety of useful meanings. There’s the discipline of a talented musician, practicing for hours daily to refine her talents. Or the discipline gifted athletes use – perhaps a tennis player, ice skater or runner – to refine their skills for competing at a high level. Or the discipline a goal-oriented person uses to stay focused and avoid becoming distracted from the objective.

For some, however, the word “discipline” carries negative connotations, like it’s a dirty word. Take, for example, the parent who says, “I never discipline my children.” This may mean the individual somehow believes parental guidance stifles, that it inhibits a child from discovering his or her uniqueness. I don’t think discipline is detrimental in that respect, but perhaps that’s a subject for a future discussion. 

More likely, the parent equates discipline with punishment. As in addressing wrong or inappropriate behavior with a spanking, withholding something good, isolating them, or some other penalty. However, as we read and trust the Scriptures, it becomes clear discipline isn’t optional. It’s mandatory. In fact, if we’re sincere about following Jesus Christ, discipline should be anticipated – and welcomed.

A trellis "disciplines" roses
to flourish in all their beauty.

Proverbs 19:18 warns, “Discipline your children while there is still hope.” Proverbs 3:12 states, “the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Hebrews 12:5-11 expresses it most eloquently, observing, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

What does this discipline look like? Does God sit us in a corner, or put a dunce cap on our heads when we don’t do right? Does He lash out at us in anger to demonstrate His displeasure? We find the answer in Ephesians 6:4, which says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” The purpose is not to frustrate or discourage.

The Greek word for discipline in this passage has several shades of meaning, including training, instruction, chastisement, and correction. But based on what? Another passage, 2 Timothy 3:16, informs us: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” We’re to use the Bible to “train up a child in the way he should go,” as Proverbs 22:6 explains it.

It’s clear that from God’s perspective, our approach to discipline – whether it’s for our children, someone we’re mentoring, or our own lives – shouldn’t be based on a whim, personal preference, or whatever happens to be the current trend in our society or culture. Discipline should be based on what the Lord reveals and teaches in His Word.

Whenever I think of discipline, I envision a tomato plant tied to a stake to ensure it grows vertically, not horizontally. Or a rose bush climbing a trellis. In both cases, they aren’t being restricted or harmed. They’re being “disciplined” to grow as they should, so they can be most productive.

A jet in flight needs to make course corrections, as does a ship sailing across an ocean. Discipline becomes an effective means for making necessary course corrections in our own lives, as well as those of our children, people who work for us, and even those we mentor and disciple. Our goal is to teach them what they need to know, correct when they’ve veered off course, rebuke wrong thinking and behavior, and train them in the best ways to live. 

A disciplined life is intentional and purposeful, ultimately a life that seeks to serve and honor our God. An undisciplined life, lacking focus and a clear target, never knows when, or if, it’s hitting the mark.

What All of Us Need, But Usually Don’t Want

Do you know the difference between talented people and accomplished people? We could suggest several factors, but one of the most important can be summed up in one 10-letter word: Discipline.

Talent prompts people to dabble in an activity from time to time, whether it’s artwork, craftsmanship, athletic pursuits, making investments, public speaking, or whatever else you can think of. Discipline is what enables people to take innate talents and develop them into abilities that enable them to excel far beyond their peers.

The phenomenon we call “March Madness” is a good example. Across the country are many college basketball teams with talented players. These athletes can dribble, slam-dunk, and soar through the air with astounding dexterity. And yet, their teams fall short on the scoreboard again and again; for many of them, the closest they’ll get to “the Big Dance” this year is a widescreen TV. It’s because, despite their collective talents, they’ve not learned – through the powers of discipline – how to refine those skills and become a cohesive team that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

To grow properly and fruitfully, even tomato
plants need "discipline."

Think of acclaimed musicians, or celebrated dancers: They may have been born with natural talent, an inherent knack - evident from their very first attempt – most of us could only dream of having. However, that talent won’t amount to much without the discipline to work on and master the fundamentals of their craft, learning through time and repetition to perform flawlessly even without conscious thought.

It’s not much different in everyday living. If we expect to experience joyful, fulfilling lives, it’s going to require considerable discipline. I thought about this recently while reading a wonderful chapter in the Bible, Hebrews 12, which speaks about God’s discipline of His children:

“’My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves…. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father. If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons…. Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

This passage could serve as the focus for numerous sermons. But the key point is God, in a demonstration of His love, disciplines His children – not to harm or frustrate us, but to train us to become everything He intends for us to be.

We live in a time when many people have forgotten, or never learned, the virtues of discipline. Children, even as toddlers, are encouraged to do whatever they choose. Many teenagers aren’t fettered by curfews or other parental controls. Young people entering the workplace are taken aback when superiors place rigid expectations on them, or require them to carry out their jobs according to specific guidelines. They fail to appreciate how discipline can enable them to grow and flourish as individuals – discipline exerted by more experienced people that have learned to distinguish the right ways from the wrong ways.

The Scriptures tell us even Jesus understood the importance of discipline. We’re admonished, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Imagine a rosebush, or a tomato plant, trying to grow without the “discipline” of a trellis or stake to keep it growing upright. It wouldn’t be very pretty, or fruitful. In like manner, God knows if we’re to realize our full potential, we must accept His discipline. It keeps us on the right path, enables us to learn dependence on Him, and prepares us for a life of service that exceeds anything we could have imagined or hoped for.

The apostle James points out, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). As the writer of Hebrews assures us, “God disciplines us for our good.”

Downsides of Discipline

One of the TV morning news shows recently teased about “simple ways to exercise and do it consistently.” I didn’t wait to hear what these “secrets” were, but I doubt they had anything to do with thumbs working smartphones or the remote control.

The reason I chose not to watch this “investigative report” is because I already know better. There’s no such thing as a “simple” way to commit to meaningful exercise on a regular basis. After nearly eight years of a 4-5 times a week exercise regimen, preceded by about nine years of power-walking at least three times a week, I’ve adopted the following philosophy: “I hate to exercise – but I love to have exercised.”

As far as I can tell, the only secret to effective exercise is a little word many of us hate to hear: Discipline. The discipline of selecting an appropriate time and place; the discipline of putting in a sufficient amount of time and effort; and the discipline of maintaining a commitment to keep at it consistently and frequently, three times a week or more. There’s no simple way around that.

The problem is, it seems if there’s something many Americans don’t like, it’s discipline. We want the quick fix, not a slow-but-sure solution. We want results in the short-term; nothing long-term will do. Nice and easy, not strenuous and difficult.

But I like a quote by Dorian Yates, a much-decorated English professional bodybuilder. Apparently responding to those favoring the quick and easy route, Yates stated, "Moderation in bodybuilding is a vice; moderation in discipline is a failure." He didn’t become a world champion by training in moderation. To excel, whether it’s bodybuilding, academics, a career, parenting, or even a hobby, requires a commitment to work as hard and long as necessary, and that requires discipline.

This photo of a rose trellis shows how
this "discipline" enables the roses
to grow full and beautiful.

Imagine a rosebush without a supporting trellis to provide “discipline” for its growth. Tomatoes won’t grow well on a plant that’s lying on the ground – that’s why we tie them to stakes, so they grow strong and tall. Stakes supply the “discipline.”

The Bible speaks a lot about discipline – most of it in a positive sense. For instance, Proverbs 22:6 urges parents, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." The literal meaning of this is to teach them to follow their natural bent, to discover who and what they’ve been created to be. But to do this – to discern this “bent” and guide them to pursue it properly – requires discipline, both for child and parent.  

Earlier in Proverbs we’re told, “He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray” (Proverbs 10:17), and “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1). I don’t see any ambiguous meaning here.

In John 15:1-2, Jesus told His disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener…every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Dr. Bruce Wilkinson years ago wrote in his book, Secrets of the Vine, that sometimes this pruning process feels painful, but it’s done as a form of discipline, much as pruning a rosebush or grapevine isn’t done for harm but to strengthen and make more productive.

And Hebrews 12:5-8 declares God uses discipline to demonstrate His love and concern for His children: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.”

The Scriptures do declare, “God is love” (as I plan to explore in a future post), but part of His love is to discipline us by training us up in the way we should go.

So if you’re going through a tough time, experiencing a season of God’s discipline, don’t despair. It might be His way of saying, “Child, I love you just the way you are. But I also love you too much to leave you that way.”

Just as in exercise we set physical goals and then discipline ourselves to follow the necessary steps to attain them, God often exerts discipline on us to get us to where He wants us to be. When the going seems hard, we must remember the adage: Father knows best.