I see talent as both the potential of someone, and the capacity to realize said potential. I've written this before, but I'm also a musician - and have been fo

I see talent as both the potential of someone, and the capacity to realize said potential. I've written this before, but I'm also a musician - and have been for 25 years, and music was what I did prior to becoming an engineer. I've interacted with hundreds of musicians in my lifetime, and have observed thousands. Discovering "typically" talented individuals is pretty easy: - They learn fast - They excel fast - They are unusually skilled at something from the get-go. In music, this usually means that even as very beginners, they have a good pitch. Or sense of rhythm. Within maybe 3-5 years, they are at the same level that takes regular musicians 10-15 years to reach. That does however not mean that the individuals that lack the above, are not talented. I've seen people that have progressed slowly, but steadily, and become fantastic musicians. Some people will reach 90% in 5 years, others will reach 90% in 10-15-20 years. Motivation and work ethic tends to be independent skills. There are extremely talented people out there that lack motivation and work ethics, and will abandon the interest, when the going gets tough, or they simple lose interest. The people that aren't talented, are those that will never progress, no mater how much time and energy they put into it. I know people that have truly tried their best, those that have been going at it for years and years (decades even), but just can't progress beyond beginner stage. They have no sense of rhythm, they are tone deaf, and just can't muscle coordinate enough to become proficient at instruments, and can't pick up theory. (Note: this does not mean that you can enjoy making music, or have fun with music! It mostly just limits what you can play. Some genres or songs will likely just forever be out of reach)