
E163. A New Theory of Talent
From Stepping Off Now: Support for Neurodivergent Creatives by Kendra Patterson
February 21, 2025 · 29 min
About this episode
In this episode, Kendra Patterson explores the idea that talent may not be as crucial to artistic success as consistent effort over time.
I've long thought that talent is the least important ingredient in artistic success (however you define that). The further I get in my writing career, the less it seems to matter whether I have any "natural" talent. What matters is consistent and sustained effort over time. In this episode I contemplate whether talent is what we think it is, and provide an alternative framework for conceptualizing it that can help free us from the pressure of not feeling talented enough.
People in this episode
Host: Kendra Patterson
Topics covered
- talent
- artistic success
- consistent effort
- neurodivergence
- creative process
Keywords
- talent
- artistic success
- neurodivergent
- creativity
- effort
- framework
- pressure
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- E170. Assessing Safe vs. Unsafe When Interacting with the Neurotypical World · October 22, 2025 · 27 min
- E169. The Ironies of Being a Neurodivergent Writer · October 15, 2025 · 21 min
- E168. Not Letting the Big Picture Sabotage Your Creativity · May 9, 2025 · 31 min
- E167. Interview Episode! Featuring Kristin Kisska, Author of The Hint of Light · April 18, 2025 · 1h 8m
- E166. Maintaining Motivation for Creative Work in Challenging Seasons · April 4, 2025 · 23 min
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