“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever.”
~ from The Bronx Tale
When there’s an opportunity before you to make use of your talents and gifts or to improve them, don’t make the mistake of watching that opportunity pass you by.
Seize it. Immediately.
That’s how to avoid the problem of wasted talent.
Procrastination is your enemy here. I know this from experience. I wasted years because I put off golden opportunities. Thankfully, I learned my lesson.
On that score, I have a confession to make regarding a specific kind of talent. The gift of writing.
(If you don’t possess this gift or don’t know anyone who does, feel free to stop reading this post now. The rest deals with a specific opportunity for those who can write.)
There are three things I hate seeing. All three frustrate me to know end.
It’s because all three embody something that doesn’t have to occur . . .
Wasted Talent.
Let me begin by saying that writing is a gift. I’m a writer, and I suppose that’s one of the reasons for my passion in this area.
Books change people’s lives. And so do blogs.
This was brought home to me personally back in July. One person who I met at a live event said she was going to commit suicide in 2011, and then she read Chapter 3 of my book, Jesus Manifesto.
She said that chapter saved her life.
Another person said they were profoundly depressed and they began searching the Web for answers. This person said they found one of my blog posts and it changed their life from that day on.
These are humbling testimonies. But they illustrate how writers can make an impact without them not even realizing it.
In fact, my life has changed from reading books. Some were spiritual books. Some were biographies. Others were books about creativity, helping the mentally ill, productivity, etc.
That said, my hatred stems from this one thing. Many writers — some of whom are more gifted than I am — haven’t taken the time to learn how to get their writings out to the world.
With that as a preface, here are 3 specific things I encounter often that I simply hate, so much so that I felt compelled to write about it today:
1. Every week I see great writers who have blogs with horrible designs and no incentive for people to subscribe to them. As a result, few people read their blog.
Wasted Talent.
2. I know many people who have a book inside of them. Yet year after year, they never make a dent in writing that book. They just don’t know how.
Wasted Talent.
3. I have friends who are great writers, and they have a message that will help many. Some have written books, excellent books, but they have no idea how to promote those books and get the word out to others. And they don’t seem to care enough to learn how.
Wasted Talent.
In like manner, I have friends who can write amazing articles, but they’ve never taken the time to learn how to create a successful blog. I’m convinced these people can earn income from their writing talent, if they just learned how.
Wasted Talent.
Because I’m so passionate about seeing people NOT waste their writing talent, I participated with a group of other writers and we created THE BUZZ SEMINAR MASTER CLASS.
This is a premium course to alleviate the problems I just laid out.
If you’re a writer — actual or aspiring — you’ll want to check out the course.
Check it out here: The Buzz Seminar Master Course
If you know someone would could benefit from the course, please share the link with them. It just may change their lives.
If you’re NOT a writer and you don’t care to be one, I urge you to apply my challenge about NOT wasting your talent to other areas of your life.
Again: When there’s an opportunity before you to make use of your talents and gifts or to improve them, don’t make the mistake of watching that opportunity pass you by.
Seize it. Immediately.
That’s how to avoid the problem of wasted talent.
“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever.”
Pressing Into the Kingdom
Here I did drawing and photography for a while. I liked it for a while till I didn’t seem to have a chance of winning any photo contest and mine was included in a book I never saw or got neither did I get any money. It was awful. Plus I was able to share drawings with a few people I knew. I remember getting a remark that I was lazy because I wasn’t selling my artwork. I found out that it cost money to create a website or a web page.
Although, I have a decent body of work behind me I still feel I’ve wasted my talent. The “living” financially speaking I’ve been able to carve out for myself has been to barely get by hand to mouth. Now, I find myself almost 66 years old with almost nothing saved just squeezing by through teaching a small art class and a disability check. I have a dwindling body of artwork behind me as well as a recently released CD of original songs. I’m alone and have been for more than five years. And now I’m having trouble doing much more than just feeding and taking care of myself. I continue to beat myself up saying it’s all do to a poor work ethic, and unrealistic dreams. I fell light a fraud but I’m may be the only one that feels that way. What if I’m right? Day after day I feel the life force draining out of me and I can’t find the way or the strength to make it stop. Peering into the abyss.
66 is young in our time. Many people live to be in their 90s. I’d highly recommend you get the Buzz Seminar Master Course when it reopens. It’s helped people who are in your situation. It will open again soon so be sure you get on the waiting list. http://buzzseminar.com – the course provides inspiration, motivation, education, compensation, and community – the key ingredient all artists and creatives need to succeed.
You’re right about wasted talent, but it runs deeper than that. It stems from wasted time. A person can have all the talent and passion in the world, but if he goes in the wrong direction with those gifts and talents, things are not going to work out. Yes, that person is wasted talent, but more so, he wasted time digging a hole in the wrong direction.
When you said “Every week I see great writers who have blogs with horrible designs and no incentive for people to subscribe to them. As a result, few people read their blog.” Correct again. Those great writers wasted their talent, but ultimately, they wasted their time. Had they spent their time wisely, they would not be in this situation. The same can be applied with the other examples you gave.
The good news is they can stop wasting time and spend it wisely, investing in the tools that will enable them to meet their goals. I am unaware of a better investment on that score than http://buzzseminar.com
Do you believe the Lord ever gives an opportunity that we are not meant to take? Like Saul being delivered to David in the cave. This is a situation I’ve found myself in regarding writing. I have known steps to take but the Lord has asked me not to take those steps and to limit myself. I don’t always understand His leading that way but I trust Him. And that’s not always easy 🙂
Not all opportunities that came to us are from the Lord. Others are.
Very interesting article. I have had an interest in writing ever since I was young…that was a long time ago:) My interest was peaked when blogging became popular. I found myself going on various church websites where pastors where blogging. Much to my surprise, I found that when a controversial Christian topic was being discussed or personal dilemma scenario’s popped up, I could actually really contribute and help people find solutions to difficulties or bring clarity to a controversial subject. It really took me by surprise. Well, after doing that for several years, I felt led to begin my own personal blog but through Facebook. It’s a different venue, I know, and so far it is not far reached; mainly to my relatives and friends who yet do not belong to the Lord. I would like to open it up more but the timing I don’t think is right.
I think when a person has a gift, if they are interested in finding out what that is and how to use it, prayer works. God just really put the opportunity in my lap. I don’t know if He intends it to go any further but that’s His business I guess. He got me into it. My attitude is that if He wants me to take it further, He will open up further opportunity.
Thanks again for this great article.