Is it Talent or Hard Work?

When a new student starts with me, and they display a bit of natural ability, I get excited. I think, this is going to be fun. It will be really easy to teach them. And sometimes that is true. But sometimes I get a student who is naturally talented and lazy. And they never seem to really progress. Or their progress takes way…too…long, because they don’t really put in the work. They can usually show up to a lesson and fake their way through it still sounding better than some students. It’s a bit frustrating when you know they are capable of more.

Then there is the student who struggles with timing, reading the notes, basic rhythm. This person can also be tough to teach,  but as long as they are patient with themselves, I find this kind of student to be the most rewarding. They are the most rewarding, because I love seeing someone who struggles overcome their challenges. A student who sings off pitch, but practices every single day can actually sound pretty good after a year of lessons. I’ve seen it happen, and the feeling of pride is so so nice.

The most exciting student to have is the one with natural talent and a serious commitment to hard work. These students are like rare gems, and they require the same kind of handling. Too much praise might make them slack on the practice, not enough may make them feel insecure about their progress. When a student possesses both talent and a strong work ethic, it feels like validation for why you chose your profession.

How do you feel about your talented-yet-lazy students? How do you motivate them? Do you have any “tricks” to get them to work harder? What about your challenged-but-hard-working students? How do you praise them genuinely and still keep them motivated to work? Do you have any of the rare gems? How do you treat them differently?