What do you do when talent isn't enough??

FACT - TALENT IS NOT ENOUGH

FACT - CONSISTANT WORK PAYS OFF 

So what do you do when you are a talented athlete but that talent is only taking you so far?

I started writing this blog back in summer 2021 when we came out of lockdown and never finished it. As we kick off 2022 I thought now is the time to share my thoughts about the Talent vs Hard Work debate.

I'm sure everyone has heard the saying "Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard" and although I do agree with this statement I am a big believer that "If talent works just a little bit hard they will always beat someone who is generally less talented"

Although this sounds a little negative, for me its what I believe to be true and to fully understand my perspective I will explain a little bit about what I define talent as.

I believe that talent comes in various forms, some people may show 'natural talent' for example they are able to hurdle at full speed with solid technique from day 1. Other people however have a talent that is being very 'coachable'. Their talent is that they can pick up skills and techniques very quickly or they can master a skill extremely well through practice. So although they may not show natural talent the first time they try, they are able to develop over time to reach the same level as the 'naturally talented' athlete. Many people just aren't talented in a particular discipline and that's just life. As much as i would have loved to have been a sprinter or a long jumper I simply wasn't talented enough in those disciplines no matter how hard I was willing to work.

Talent is not just physical, we have psychological talents as well. You may not be able to record the fastest top end speed in the world or have the best time over 100m in good conditions in a diamond league. However you are able to stay calm under pressure and execute very close to your best in a championship, under pressure in poor conditions. Therefore your talent that separates you from the rest is your psychological talent.

The problem we have as coaches and athletes is once you start getting to international level, everyone is talented. Every athlete putting on an England or GB vest is extremely talented. They have worked at least a little bit hard to get there and they have shown physiological as well as psychological skill to make selection.

I first realised this 10 years ago when my first athlete got an England call up. It was the Schools international combined events and she was just u15. I looked at the start line and every single girl there was talented. They all were gifted combined eventers, so my question was, "How will I make sure my athlete continues to qualify for these kind of events and not only participate but thrive in these competitions".

The answer isn't simple and the 'just work harder' narrative isn't the one. Most athletes are able to work hard, they are motivated, they want to train and compete. 

So what do you do to excel and stand out when everyone around you is talented?

This is where we have to look at marginal gains, a term coined by the British cycling team in the lead up to 2012. Lets presume every athlete you compete against is just as talented as you, they all train just as hard as you and they all have the same opportunities to compete as you. We now need to look at the things you can do that others either wont have thought of, wont be willing to do or wont see the merit of doing.

There's a multitude of areas we can look at here from nutrition to psychology, from recovery to video review. Its a case of what are you willing to do outside the track or gym to ensure you are able to maximise performance inside the track or gym.

Some of the things I have noticed/experienced over the years are listed below. Athletes willing to make sacrifices, go the extra step to ensure they have the opportunity to become the best.

1 - 2 time CrossFit games champion Katrin Davidsdottir would take her own food in Tupperware to social occasions. It sounds extreme but it worked for her.

2 - Team Sky cyclists would take their own pillows and bedding to hotels with them as they travelled and raced.

3 - High jumper Nicola McDermott won Olympic silver last year. She journals everything she does. Even in-between jumps at comps she will journal and score every element of her jump.

4 - My athletes over the years have struggled with caffeine intakes and have experimented with different doses in training to make sure they know how much to use on comp day.

5 - Cedric Dubler, Australian Olympic decathlete will Vlog his sessions and comps not just for his audience but for himself. To be able to use the camera to express his feeling before, during and after competitions.

I hope this blog has been useful. If you would like further info on T.I.N.E drop me an email.

Coach Slaus