Topic 173: Talent vs. Hard Work

A1-A2 (Beginner-Elementary)

1. What does talent mean?

2. What does hard work mean to you?

3. Do you think talent is more important than hard work? Why or why not?

4. Can you think of someone who has a lot of talent?

5. Do you believe that anyone can become good at something with enough hard work?

6. What kind of skills do you think require a lot of talent?

7. What kind of skills do you think require a lot of hard work?

8. Can you improve your talents by working hard?

9. What is something you work hard to get better at?

10. How do you feel when you see someone who is very talented at something?

11. Why do some people have more talent than others in certain areas?

12. Do you think hard work can help someone without talent improve?

13. What do you think is the best way to develop talent?

14. Why is it important to practice hard if you want to be good at something?

15. Do you know someone who has a special talent but doesn’t work hard? What happens?

16. What motivates you to work hard in school or at something you enjoy?

B1-B2 (Intermediate-Upper Intermediate)

17. Do you think talent is something you’re born with, or can it be developed over time?

18. What are some advantages of having talent in a specific area?

19. What are the benefits of hard work when it comes to achieving your goals?

20. How can talent help someone achieve success faster than someone who works hard?

21. Do you believe that talent can make up for lack of hard work? Why or why not?

22. How do you balance using your talent and working hard to improve at something?

23. Can hard work be more important than talent in the long term?

24. How do people use both talent and hard work to become successful in their careers?

25. What role does passion play in developing talent and working hard?

26. What challenges do talented people face when they don’t work hard to improve?

27. What do you think is the key to turning talent into real success?

28. Can someone with little talent succeed if they work hard enough?

29. How do you think talent and hard work work together in team sports?

30. How do you stay motivated to work hard when you feel like you have little talent in something?

31. Do you think natural talent makes it easier to work hard in certain areas?

32. Why is it important to practice something you’re good at to get even better?

C1-C2 (Advanced-Proficient)

33. How do cultural attitudes toward talent and hard work differ across societies?

34. What are the psychological impacts of relying solely on talent versus hard work?

35. How does the idea of ‘natural talent’ influence people’s career choices and opportunities?

36. What are the long-term effects of relying on talent without working hard to develop it further?

37. How do social and environmental factors influence the development of talent and the willingness to work hard?

38. How does the concept of ‘grit’ relate to the debate between talent and hard work?

39. How can talent in one area (like music or sports) be leveraged to succeed in other areas of life?

40. What is the relationship between creativity, talent, and hard work in achieving success in artistic fields?

41. How do systems of education and training support the development of both talent and hard work?

42. How can you overcome the limitations of natural talent through deliberate practice and hard work?

43. How does the role of failure influence the relationship between talent and hard work in the pursuit of mastery?

44. How does the current culture of instant success (e.g., social media, viral fame) impact our perceptions of talent versus hard work?

45. How does one measure success in terms of talent and hard work in highly competitive fields, such as sports or business?

46. What are the dangers of overemphasizing talent over hard work in high-performance environments?

47. How do successful people demonstrate the balance between talent and hard work in their journey?

48. How can individuals with limited natural talent build sustainable success through persistence and strategic hard work?