<p>Funny that so many of you equate genius with hard work. For me a genius is someone who is truly apart from us (well, me) common mortals, who has access to that 90% of the brain that is apparently in dormance, or to misquote the Romantic poets, hears the music of the celestial spheres. I would add that many true geniuses have gone unrecognized through the ages because their particular talent did not have any value to the society in which they functioned, and their difference was seen as a liability rather than an asset. Someone used Van Gogh as an example; he sold one painting during his life despite the unremitting efforts of his brother Theo. How would Mozart have turned out had his father died when he was still a baby?
In our modern society, there is a much better chance of being in the right place at the right time for someone to recognize your potential (i.e. Good Will Hunting). In fact, we seem to have gone overboard nowadays and attribute genius potential to any kid who doesn’t fit in. As a teacher, I have met scores of parents desperate to convince me that their child’s poor results were due to the fact that you can’t ask a genius to learn a page of irregular verbs.
Talent is the ability to master a skill better and faster than average. Some use their talents, and here I agree with the concept of hard work; others don’t, and as parents, we tear out our hair in frustration,or we console ourselves by saying that it is better to be all-rounded than obsessional. Talent, as one poster mentioned is measurable: in a conservatory, all students are talented, but to different degrees. On the other hand, genius can’t be measured precisely because it means being outside the chart.</p>