N is for Natural

Are you a natural at what you do? Does it come easily? Is it second nature? Are you any good?

Does writing come easily? Does it just flow out of you without effort, without need for editing, and no pain, blood, sweat or tears and it magically is a masterpiece on the first draft?

Liar.

Writing comes easily to me … some of the time. But it usually doesn’t flow without some effort. Once I’m ‘warmed up’ things go better, more smoothly, more, well, naturally. I was talking with a client recently who said that she hated writing, that it was torture, and would rather never have to do it. I’m the opposite, I can’t imagine life without it.

If something doesn’t come naturally for you, should you give it up or just try harder? Does it matter if it’s not natural? I’m sure not all tax attorneys are naturals, but maybe they are numbers guys (OK, maybe not maybe … ) or at least it all makes sense to them. Hmm, I suppose if it didn’t then they probably wouldn’t be tax attorneys.

But what about something that you love doing but it just doesn’t seem to come naturally? Or does that not happen? Do you not write if it doesn’t come naturally? I suppose if you have to, then yes, you’ll write even if it’s not natural. Or what if there’s something you’d like to be a natural at, but you just don’t feel you’re there yet? Can you develop into a natural or does it need to be something you’re born with? No, that’s silly. You can develop it, just like running. Runners aren’t born running, they train, the persevere, they become naturals.

So there’s hope. Maybe we can all become naturals if we try hard enough. Right?

If you’re a natural at what you’re good at, lucky you. P.S. That’s not my son …