Talent?

I'm not a big believer in talent or at least not the way its perceived by the majority of people. I think its a cop-out for a lot of people. They subconsciously give up long before they've even given themselves a chance because they think they're not talented.

If you look at someone like Travis Pastrana who has managed to win a Supercross championship, multiple X-Games medals in freestyle and now the American Rally Car championship. I find it hard to believe that when he was born, God said, "I think I will give little Travis awesome skills in Supercross, Rally car driving and freestyle".
I think Travis could do well in anything he put his hand to, providing he had the passion and desire to do it. He probably isn't very passionate about tennis. The reason I believe people like Travis manage to be successful over and over again is because they have an over-whelming amount of self belief and desire.

Desire is the one thing I don't think you can manufacture. I've done a lot of different sports and hobbies up to now and although I have enjoyed them I don't think I've ever had an intense desire to do them. I like to think its different with motocross. Things certainly feel different compared to anything else I've done especially in the way of competition. I've never been this excited about competing before.

Do I have talent or natural ability, who knows? What I do know is that I have an intense desire to this and get good at it and maybe that's all I need to become 'talented'.

"We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents."
Eric Hoffer
1902-1983, Author of The True Believer