The Relationship Between Talent and Ambition

In the movie Fame, a young man is famed as a performer in a Broadway play. He is on the cusp of
stardom, but he doesn't seem to have a clue how to get there. He struggles to understand what it means
to be a star. In the end, he realizes that he has talent and ambition- but he must use both gifts effectively
to reach his goal. Talent and ambition are closely intertwined- and it is important for people to
understand this.
The word 'talent' has become a buzzword in our society. Everyone wants to have a talent, but many
people do not know what that means. Some believe that talent is a natural ability that you were born
with. Others think that talent is something you learn from an early age. Either way, people think that
talent can help you reach your goals. However, talent is only useful when you use it. The primary
problem with talent is that it can be misleading. A person may have talent for singing, but they will
probably fail without proper training.
An ambition that directs your talent towards the right goals is essential for success. George Washington
was a gifted military leader who shouldered the burden of leading the Continental Army to victory.
Washington had no natural charisma; he was not a natural leader like his mentor, Patrick Henry.
Washington's ambition directed his talent into the right direction and led him to victory in the
Revolutionary War. In turn, Washington's success as a leader inspired many Americans to fight for their
rights as well. George Washington learned early on that ambition could help you reach your dreams.
Blind ambition can lead you down the wrong path if you do not know what you are doing. Many
people with great potential will spend their entire lives pursuing their dreams without ever realizing
their full potential. Many people have good intentions when they set out on an ambitious journey, but
they lack the knowledge or discipline to succeed. A person may have an impressive list of
accomplishments, but that does not make them successful if they are not applying those gifts in the
right way. A talented person could be ruining their gifts by being unambitious and careless with their
successes.
It is important for people to understand that both talent and ambition are crucial for success. Without
talent, a person cannot use their ambition to succeed; without ambition, a person cannot direct their
talents towards a goal they want to achieve. Both talents and ambitions should be used wisely and
effectively if people want to succeed in life.