- A gift only becomes a gift when it is used for the first time. Prior to that point in time, a so-called “gift” is nothing more than an official transfer of a commodity; usage is what confers value to an item. So too with natural talent. If or until a natural gift is utilized, it is nothing more than a latent ability lying dormant just waiting to be ignited by a catalyst—normally the beneficiary’s inner drive—although there is no guarantee such a thing will ever happen; too frequently it doesn’t. In truth, squandered natural abilities are more commonplace than grains of sand on a three-mile-long ocean beach. The fact someone is born with immense talent does not mean that talent will ever be realized. Potential does not equal fruition. Fire requires a match to ignite it, and minus that match oxidation and the phenomenal power contained therein will never occur; it will forever remain just so much untapped potential energy.
