In my work with teen and young adult performing artists, I talk a lot about why it’s important to understand the pitfalls and limitations of the word “talent.” The truth about talent is that talent cannot and should not determine their drive to build skills in any area, including the performing arts. It can lead to a false equation that if they are “not talented” at something, then they can’t change it and there’s no point in trying. Or if they are “talented” at something then they don’t have to work at it.
Dispelling Talent Myths
Neither of these are true. Working on skill building is possible – and essential for anyone looking to develop and increase competence.
Yet we live in a society that continues to perpetuate the idea that exceptional performance primarily from an innate affinity for something, rather than being built on a foundation of building competence over time. Yes, talent may help move the needle faster and farther for those who put in the work, but without the work, long term success and excellence are rarely attained.
The Five Stages of Competence
Understanding the five stages of competence for learning a new skill provides a framework for teens on how and why learning can sometimes feel easy. And sometimes very challenging. But most importantly, it’s an everlasting cycle that they will engage in if they want to continue to improve in their various artistic skill sets.
Unconscious Incompetence:
You don’t know what you don’t know. Ignorance is bliss.
Conscious Incompetence:
You are aware of what you don’t know. You are tuned into what you need to learn.
Conscious Competence:
You start to understand how to do the new skills, but you are inconsistent. It’s hard and challenging and you have to think about it as you do it.
Unconscious Competence
The skills or tasks are now automatic and habitual. You can engage in the skill without thinking about it and your mind may wander to other things without impacting your performance. It’s effortless.
Conscious-Unconscious Competence
This is a state of seamless flow and mastery. Not all skills will reach this phase – the ability to perform the skill at an exceptional level – at this level, you can explain and teach the unconscious components of what you are doing.
A Guide for Teens in the Arts
In practical terms for an aspiring teen or tween vocalist, the skill development process may look like this.
The teen at the unconscious incompetence stage is not aware of vocal concerns. They just love to sing and when they jump up on stage for a fun night of karaoke, they get great feedback within their limited range of skills. At this point, they need a coach/teacher to help them identify what they need to learn, develop, and work on. This feedback may take a little bit of the wind out of their sails.
As the guidance on just how much they have to learn sets in, they move into conscious incompetence. They know that by working on foundation skills, they will become stronger singers, but it’s not nearly as much fun as just singing in whatever way they want. It pushes them outside of their zone of comfort and they may not be sure they want to risk feeling incompetent.
Once they commit to leveling up, they are able to start putting in the work to improve their skill set. This moves them into consistent inconsistency. They are working on things. Sometimes they nail it, sometimes they don’t. Singing with correct technique is not mastered, takes a lot of conscious attention to maintain proper singing technique. It can feel exhausting and frustrating because sometimes even when focused they struggle to get it right. Sometimes it may feel as though they sound worse before they begin to sound better.
Over time though, it gets easier. They are moving into conscious mastery. Now they can consistently demonstrate the skill when called upon, but it still takes conscious focus. If distracted while performing they may not do as well. It’s fun again, but still takes some conscious effort to produce their best vocal performance.
Finally, after time in conscious mastery, they move into unconscious mastery. It’s become a habit, they don’t need to think about specific techniques because it’s reflective. It feels easy and natural. And ironically, it also means, it’s time to start all over.
The Importance of Mentorship
This is why it’s so important to have an amazing team of teachers and mentors in the adolescent performers’ world. People who can see what might be needed to come next and gently steer your teen back into the cycle. Who will remind them that even the greatest and most accomplished performers will tell you they are always working to learn more, to hone specific skills, and to expand their areas of conscious mastery.
Conclusion
When a teen performing artist understands this is a lifelong process, they are able to continually learn and grow, while also enjoying the areas they have mastered. It also allows more room for resilience as they understand when something doesn’t go the way they had hoped, they can still learn and grow and circle back with newfound confidence after putting in the work.
Understanding the truth about talent and skill development is crucial for adolescent artists. By addressing the myth of innate talent and providing a guide for teens in the arts on skill developoment, we empower teens to navigate the stages of competence with resilience and determination. Through the guidance of mentors and teachers, they learn that mastery is not a destination but a continuous cycle of growth and refinement.
