On genius and hard work

I suspect that this is true in more fields than just military generalship.  It’s the difference between good artists and great ones, between good musicians and great ones, between competent writers and geniuses, between craftsmen and original creators:

Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool, and that is the test of generals.

T. E. Lawrence

We all have control, more or less, over how much we develop our basic skills at  the task we’re trying to pursue.    That last ten percent, however, is luck, or a divine gift, or however else you want to identify it.  For that, we’re not really responsible — except in how we use it (should it be granted to us).  But we are responsible, I think, to develop our abilities as far as we can.  In something, at least.  It needn’t be art or music or literature, let alone generalship.  But we should contribute something, somewhere, to somebody.

Posted from Petra, Jordan