Throughout my fairly long life, I may have met one or two truly talented people (and even then, I’m not entirely sure). There are, of course, more capable individuals. But ability, unlike talent, is not necessarily an inborn trait—it can also be the result of effort, experience, and discipline. Talent, on the other hand, is something natural, innate, independent of effort. You either have it, or you don’t.

I believe that much of the talk about talent is heavily mythologized. Truly talented people are extremely rare (and geniuses are even rarer). The vast majority of successful individuals achieve their status not due to some inherent gift but primarily through hard work, perseverance, and, to some extent, luck.

So, talent may not be entirely a bad thing, but you’ll still have to work. And work damn hard if you want to achieve anything on this planet (ah, motivation, motivation!). A bit less if you have abilities, but even they don’t mean much on their own—you need to know how to apply, develop, and even retain them; otherwise, they quickly fade away. In short, if there’s no talent, there’s always hard work and sweat.

By the way, this is something to be glad about: if your success is based entirely—or even mostly—on talent, then there’s little personal merit in it. After all, talent is given to you from the outside, and you possess it not because of your own efforts or achievements. There’s little sense in relying on a gift that was handed to you by chance.

In America, I have repeatedly noticed how the word “professional” is perceived. First, it is used very broadly, encompassing an entire class of occupations such as doctors, lawyers, business consultants, teachers, professors, and other white-collar workers. Of course, you might hear phrases like “professional boxer” or “professional dancer,” but in most cases, the term “professional” refers to people engaged in intellectual activities and working within certain standards.

Second, professionalism is closely linked to specific behavior and appearance. To “look and act professionally” means dressing neatly, conservatively, and formally, as well as demonstrating politeness, attentiveness, and proper speech while avoiding slang or informal expressions. Writing professionally is also an important aspect, particularly in emails, where clarity, proper formatting, and polite, concise language are expected norms.

Third, telling someone that they look or act professionally is indeed high praise. Such a remark pertains not only to appearance but also to the overall impression a person makes: neatness, reliability, respect for others, and adherence to expectations—all these are associated with professionalism in American culture.

This approach to professionalism stands out when compared to other cultures, where the emphasis might be more on experience or expertise rather than appearance or behavioral aspects. In the U.S., professionalism is not only about skills but also about the ability to meet high standards of self-presentation.