It's Just Something You're Born With
A story about growth from Derek Sivers.
One of my favorite authors and humans, Derek Sivers, tells a story about his journey towards being a singer. When he was trying to “make it” as a musician, singing just didn’t come naturally to him.
In fact, he also talks about how many people in his life told him “Derek, singing is either something you’re born with or not. And you’re not a singer.”
Of course, Derek just wanted to continue developing. He hired a music coach and trained with him. He still wasn’t a good singer.
Eventually, after something like 10 years of practice, Derek finally recorded a song and liked the way his voice sounded. A studio helper heard it and said “see? Singing is something you’re just born with. You have it or you don’t. You, Derek, were born with it.”
It’s a discipline, not a gift.