Talent or Craft? A Divine Gift or a Skillset?

Imagine you have a choice. Which would you choose?

Most would likely choose talent, and rightfully so. Skills are finite, while talent is an inexhaustible source of self-expression and fulfillment. With skills alone, there’s always the risk of meeting someone more talented in your field and facing unavoidable competition. Skill refinement is exhausting; talent, on the other hand, energizes us exponentially. Talent guides you towards your true path, while skills often divert you to others’ territory.

Yet, many prefer to invest in developing skills: training charisma, pushing willpower, battling their own limits, fueling adrenaline and cortisol, and exhausting themselves in pursuit of success. This often leads to burnout, living on borrowed energy, and ultimately, struggling to sustain any sense of satisfaction. Essentially, it's trying to live out someone else’s talent on someone else’s path.

Fatigue, depression, frustration, or perhaps irritation and anger? These are familiar patterns. Yet, there are others—those who live with ease, energized, and delighted with life. They thrive on the energy their talents provide, effortlessly sharing it with others. Such people often look younger and are healthier because tapping into one’s talent feeds life force abundantly.

What’s the difference between these groups? Do you think the first group lacks talent? If only it were that simple—it would neatly justify everything.

But here’s the truth: you are talented. There’s no excuse to justify skill-based choices with a lack of talent.

Why, then, do so many choose the path of skills? The most common reason is simple: they don’t know they’re talented or even attempt to discover it. They’re preoccupied with skill development, so much so that they rarely pause to reflect on their true capabilities.

As a socionics and psychosophy consultant for over a decade, I meet clients on the brink of this self-realization. Often, their question is masked as career guidance but is, at heart, a search for a fulfilling path.

This search typically comes from two groups:

• Parents of soon-to-be college students, seeking practical educational choices to avoid wasted investment.
• Young adults around 30, realizing their initial career path, chosen for prestige or financial reasons, neglected their natural talents. Drained, they now seek a fresh start anchored in their authentic selves.

My question is: why wait ten years? Why not ask yourself now, "Am I pursuing talent or just acquiring skills? Am I on my path?"

Some say socionics and my courses provide passive knowledge, unlike the hands-on action of time-management or public speaking training. But understanding oneself, exploring potential, and discovering one’s talent are far more intensive and transformative than any skill training. They create the basis for assessing all other knowledge and skills, helping determine what you truly need.

I wrote this because I see a new wave of thirty-somethings seeking career direction. With today’s economic challenges, craftsmen are especially vulnerable, both financially and mentally, leading them to finally start the journey of self-discovery.

To everyone, I say: don’t wait. Explore yourself. Learn who you are to become your own best ally. Rely on your talent.

Personally, I recommend socionics and psychosophy as tools for self-discovery, but there are many paths to knowing oneself. Choose what resonates with you.

Take care of yourself and live with joy!

Sincerely,
Vera Novikova