Discussion of the Day
Talent Vs Strengthening Weaknesses
Christina C 46645612-Sep-23
Many of us are told "Hey you're a natural! Have you ever considered ... as a career?" We're often told to pursue our talents, but is this good advice? Isn't it better to learn how to strengthen our weaknesses, which would offer possibly more of an opportunity for personal growth? How many of us have made a career out of our talents anyway?
What do you think? Which method have you used, and how has that worked for you?
Comments
  • Lee b 979050
    Talent..footy players tennis players it doesnt matter fir these guys you can be dumb as dog sh.. but if you can kick a footy play afl or play in the major leagues it diesnt matter if you can't add 2+2=5 So use your talent your good looks and you gift of the gab. It's not what you know its who you know that really counts.
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    • pam rae
      ty christiana c
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      • Mary M 329762
        My mum said no to me to be a fashion design or others things in life. My sister and my mum said no to me they were close pea in a pot. But my mum let my sister do as she wants change job and see can finish teachers but fail. As I am old I loss passion to finish something in life
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        • Jytte (Auckland, NZ)
          Depends on what your talents are I guess. I don't really have any talents unless you count dealing with people. I hate it though! I'm a Legal Executive so I deal with people all the time so I guess I have kind of used my talent.
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          • View all 3 replies
          • Pamela G
            Dealing with people is an admirable skill.
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          • Jytte (Auckland, NZ)Pamela G
            I suppose you are right. I just wish I didn't have it sometimes lol.
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          • Melinda B 311794
            I sing while I'm on the treadmill. I use a karaoke app and just join other people. I can't really sing, but I have fun and it helps me to work through my depression and anxiety somehow. I don't think I'm ever going to be a 'rockstar'.
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        • Edith v
          I believe we should pursue our talents& if we are fulfilled in using our talents in our career,we can then look at our weaknesses& work on them.If by using our talents in a satisfying career we have achieved personal growth & strengthened our weaknesses anyway !!
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          • JANET R 328390
            I prefer to just be me. I have never been interested in being in the lime light. Just follow your own heart and don't listen to what others "think you should be doing".
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            • Glenys H 310155
              always room for improvement
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              • Danielle R 478487
                I also worked for an insolvency company for a short while. Hated it. Speaking to hundreds of people loosing the homes livelihoods on a daily basis. Long days working,night drinking. It takes an extremely high level of personal detachment that I obviously don't possess
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                • Paula J 395266
                  I can't think of anything where you don't need to use your weaknesses be it spelling, grammar or mathematics. I think we do what we are best at or enjoy the most. Why on earth would you want to spend your life doing what you're not good at. Even if you do manage to strengthen your weaknesses they will always be just that, your weaknesses.
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                  • Danielle R 478487
                    I have worked on many fields and encourage my kids to do the same. Many jobs have aspects of the work you may find unappealing enough to want to change. Who says you have to choose one anyway. I have been a florist,a food prep worker,I ran my own year round care program for children of all abilities and also a qualified industrial cleaner did factory work as well as quantitative market research off site in the most amazing places. I would say no matter what you choose the important thing is to keep learning. Do more. You never know what skills you possess and what hidden talents you have until you try.
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                    • Catalina
                      I followed what my main talent said to follow - then circumstances stopped me. Personal growth is not just strengthening our weaknesses, much more than that. It is not a method in my opinion - it is a choice, it is life.
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                      • Pat C 618241
                        I learned to type as a 13 year old. I had always wanted to be a journalist but my education was not good enough. Still those fingers can still type and English is the subject I still love to learn more of even now.
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                        • Colin L 88398
                          My strength is being a Mechanical Engineer my weakness and it's a very big one is dealing with IDIOTS. In my current job I do what I love and never meet an IDIOT so I'm pretty happy with what it is I do.
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                          • Maria B 89860
                            It can be quite a talent to fly under the radar or keep your head above water ie life is a long term balancing act and keeps us on our toes till the end.
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                            • Robert T 597718
                              all too difficult Christina it differs some must follow others lead I suppose
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                              • Grommie
                                play to your strengths, push weaknesses aside
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                                • Paul J 94868
                                  If possible,do something that makes you happy...
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                                  • Sonya F 68771
                                    It all depends what you are good at I love baking but its too hard to get up the morning
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                                    • Mercedes 1376978
                                      It’s best for the person to follow what makes them happy, We all have some sort of weaknesses that oneself can only know what they are and learn to deal with.
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                                      • kristian s 513441
                                        It all depends on what you are good at.
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                                        • Wendy Q
                                          Depends on what your strength/talents are and if they lead to a happy successful life, I'd say go for it.
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                                          • Jules 544763
                                            Do what makes you happy, it will all work out for the best.
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                                            • APB
                                              it depends on whether you want personal growth...or have a career that you really enjoy and are good at...I know which one I would chose...
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                                              • Shawn B 1061185
                                                Employers don't hire people for what they can't do. They hire the best (supposedly) persons that can finish the job quickly, efficiently, within budget and with as few errors (NONE) as possible. Developing skills may be a good thing to do for a break or looking towards tomorrow. Do what makes you happy and what you're good at if you enjoy it.
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                                                • Bugalugs
                                                  Do whatever makes you happiest in your work. What are you seeking? Great wealth or Happiness? There is a great difference and, as we have seen so often, those who will do anything to acheive Wealth and Power are neither truly happy nor do they bring any happiness to others. For them enough is never enough! They are always seeking more, do any of you think that Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump for all their billions are ever truly happy? I don't think so. I think the World's newest deity, it's name is Greed, has taken over and consumed their and their Family's Lives. If your natural talents give you an income to live safely and you and your family are Happy then you can ask no more and "Do you really need anything more?"
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                                                  • Empress
                                                    I think it's good to be aware of your natural talents, so that you can get a job that is more of a pleasure than a hard slog. Every job you get, whether you really like them or not, give you extra skills
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                                                    • Priscilla R 316016
                                                      If you can do something you love then it isn't a hardship and you will keep doing it until your demise.
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                                                      • Jania S
                                                        After 70 years experience, When you do what you love/are gifted, you are much happier, YOU ALSO learn a lot more about other areas. AND who worked out there are strengths and weaknesses? USA? Forget it. USA has given the world nothing of value,, but a lot of lies and headaches. ASK people around you and compare those who work at what they are good at and those who work for money { TO improve weaknesses}
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                                                        • Jania S
                                                          The sun is shinning and I am going out into the sunshine and enjoy the beauty around me. Blessings
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                                                      • Frank K 593543
                                                        I have always believed practice makes perfect.
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                                                        • Henrietta
                                                          Having read some of the comments, all I can say is "go for it" if you feel strong enough about something. Life is too short not to do something that has got your interest.
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                                                          • Jenny L 591463
                                                            Never heard that in my life. I do enjoy photography but just as a hobby and I do have a good eye. No one is going to pay me for a photo and I certainly wouldn't want a career taking photos. The photos are for me to enjoy and they are snippets of our life together, our trip around Australia.
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                                                            • Colleen M 510798
                                                              I think it's best to put your most into something you enjoy. Not to say that getting better at weaknesses are bad in any way because it's not. What's wrong with still working on the bad while excelling at the great? Not a damn thing!
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                                                              • Michelle 1281734
                                                                Follow your dreams, life is too short. Get paid for what you love.
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                                                                • writerrochelle
                                                                  Weaknesses have always outweighed my Strengths. I enjoy writing, and have a book started (strength), but I wonder if it's worth publishing, and if anyone would read it (weakness), so it stays on my computer waiting to be completed. Obviously I'd done neither concerning strengthening my weaknesses or following through on my strengths. And, at 75, I no longer have either the desire or motivation to do either, but just take one day at a time. What a waste of my life, but the blame is my own. ;-(
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                                                                  • View all 3 replies
                                                                  • Colleen M 510798
                                                                    I can see where you and I are alike in the area of not feeling like our talent is good enough even though we know it really is. It's funny how getting past that hump of actually finishing it knowing that all that's left is to get the results of what we created and I just can't seem to do it.
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                                                                  • Catalina
                                                                    Write, Rochelle! Show it to somebody or even more people - otherwise of course nobody will read it! You might realise that it was not a waste but it is something people would be glad to read it. Give them a chance
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                                                                  • writerrochelleCatalina
                                                                    Thank you for your encouragement! My aunt Lee wants to read it, and she, too, has asked me to complete the book I started before COVID-19! The title is: "Chapters of my Life". It was to help others avoid what I've been through, and to let the ones who have know that they are not alone. Relationship related, of course! ;-D
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                                                                • sherry 1259813
                                                                  both actually. You can do what you are passionate about and learn new skills and improve the ones that you have along the way. There is always more to learn and more skills to develop and improve on even though you are really good at something.
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                                                                  • Dada WA
                                                                    Its not hard to do both.
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                                                                    • Harry 1361654
                                                                      This is a worthy question. and quite a quandary. I have considered this myself on more than one occasion over my career and life. How many weaknesses to strengthen would it take to feel like you have attained sufficient personal growth?? How do you identify your personal weaknesses?? Are they pointed out to you?? Do you make a list?? Who determines if they are indeed weaknesses?? What if they are not or are incorrectly identified?? Seems like one would have to decide which ones are worth strengthening. They may change over time and become less or more important, or a waste of time. In the meantime, you need to keep going based on your current strengths and skill sets. They probably need updating too. Spending too much time on weaknesses could be like a dog chasing its tail, getting nowhere, and possibly losing sight of reality and practicality. Some things one may think are weaknesses are really not. Are they weaknesses or faults in others' eyes??How do you correct them?? Training, therapy, guidance, etc?? How do you prioritize them?? Do you set a time limit and drop those you cannot satisfactorily improve??I think anyone who can make a career out of natural talents is one fortunate person. Many are stuck in unsatisfying jobs for life.Good luck in any event.
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                                                                      • Gunter L
                                                                        I, for one, have made a career from using all my talents all the time. And see, where it got me? Star contributor to Rewardia's discussion boards. And that, after I was told repeatedly, that I will never amount to anything. I showed them, didn't I ?
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                                                                        • Rodney S 1152423
                                                                          At 77 y-o-a I/m studying Biblical Hebrew to keep my mind active!
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                                                                          • View all 10 replies
                                                                          • Gunter L
                                                                            Rodney, as a 77 year-old you ought to know better than that.
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                                                                          • writerrochelle
                                                                            Rodney S, Gunter L should be ashamed of himself for judging you for what you are doing. I applaud you! You keep doing you, enjoy what you do, and Gunter L should agree to disagree. Just because he feels like it's a waste of time, doesn't make it so. ;-D
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                                                                          • Gunter Lwriterrochelle
                                                                            And you, writerrochelle, of all people, ought to know much better than that.
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                                                                          • writerrochelleGunter L
                                                                            I know that all the knowledge we need to survive this old system that is on it's way out is recorded in the Bible, and having that knowledge and following it will get us through and into the paradise Jehovah God has promised. This is why his son Jesus Christ went through an agonizing death, to save the ones who know and follow that knowledge from sin, and they will be saved and live on a beautiful paradise earth forever. Psalm Chapter 37. You ought to know better...
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                                                                          • Gunter Lwriterrochelle
                                                                            Yes, writerrochelle, I KNOW exactly what you are talking about.
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                                                                          • writerrochelleGunter L
                                                                            Well, then, there is nothing more I can do. It's up to Jehovah God to draw the righteous ones into His sheepfold, and it is up to Him alone! 1 Corinthians 3:6 tells us, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God kept making it grow." (Read 5-9). Also, Jesus tells us at John 14:6, "...I am the way and the truth and the life. No ones comes to the Father except through me." (Read 6-14). We are praying for the end to come. Will you be one of the survivors? ;-(
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                                                                          • Gunter Lwriterrochelle
                                                                            No, writerrochelle, I won't be a survivor. But neither will you or anybody else. There will be no survivors.
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                                                                          • writerrochelleGunter L
                                                                            I'll pray for you, and people like you who don't accept the Bible as the inspired word of God recorded by chosen men, the ones who, like during the flood of Noah's time, did not listen to the warning message, and didn't turn to Jehovah, through Jesus Christ, for salvation, the ones who will miss out on living forever on a paradise earth as Jehovah promised, and who cannot lie. All I can do is pray for you...
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                                                                          • Gunter Lwriterrochelle
                                                                            I can't believe what I am reading.
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                                                                          • writerrochelleGunter L
                                                                            BELIEVE...
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                                                                        • boy blunder
                                                                          people often tell me I will regret what I don't do, rather than what I did, I am 60 and have worked all my life, raised 3 great kids, and now share in the raising of my grandkids, I regret nothing, I am doing my art now and have been donating my work to a charity for a few years now and i am over the moon in knowing the works they have taken have raised over 2000dollars I have given away to friends and families over 20 pieces I am a fortunate man, who knows what might have been but I love what has,wouldn't change a thing if i could
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                                                                          • Christine M 323842
                                                                            Ditto Sandra C.
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                                                                            • Tiffany L 690503
                                                                              It depends
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                                                                              • Sandra C 12043
                                                                                Do what suits you.
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                                                                                • Sheree T
                                                                                  Do what you are comfortable with, if you have a natural talent in a certain field of work and you enjoy it the work then go for it.
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                                                                                  • Melvin 1375900
                                                                                    If you have a talent you should pursue it. You can also work on your strength weakness as well, just knowing what they are and being self aware.
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                                                                                    • ELIZABETH F 1074855
                                                                                      talent
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                                                                                      • JANN R
                                                                                        I worked as an aged care nurse and it strengthened me in everything I did looking after the older people that really needed you it was the best for me
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                                                                                        • pam rae
                                                                                          HI Pamela,ty,have a great day...!!!
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                                                                                          • Pamela G
                                                                                            As Thomas Edison said " success is 10% inspiration and 90 % perspiration."
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                                                                                            • Claude H
                                                                                              Hell. I don't need to worry I don't have weaknessess.
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                                                                                              • John A 623596
                                                                                                Talents are great for short term gain in employment. However talents are quickly gained and copied by others to their benefit. So it's better to slowly discover heal and strengthen your weaknesses for longer term gain, life time support and natural well being. So turn inner weakness into spiritual strength now and forever.
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                                                                                                • Morenita
                                                                                                  Modeling nude is my talent and made a career out of it lolololol easy money honey I’d say
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                                                                                                  • Ernie 67
                                                                                                    I don't think there's anything wrong with checking out a career using your natural talent but it doesn't hurt to strengthen your weakness at the same time - might help you decide what's right for your life
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                                                                                                    • Teri 1282723
                                                                                                      I think if you have a talent for something it would be good to keep with it for a little while and see if you want to continue with it. You'll know if you want to continue with it or quit, but if you're truly gifted, take it as far as you can or want. If you're interested in something else, give that a go. There are no rules for what you should do. Your jobs/careers may have nothing to do with your talent but we all need hobbies and maybe you can keep at it just casually. It's up to each individual to ask themselves if it's a hobby, talent, gift or career. Only you can know when to get off that train and jump to a new train on a different track.
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                                                                                                      • SueM2
                                                                                                        When I was growing up, the expectation was that as a girl, I would be a wife & mother (in that order!) I really wanted to be a Karitane nurse but my father said "just get a job in a shop, because you're going to get married anyway" ......
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                                                                                                        • pam rae
                                                                                                          HM, WELL ,HAVE HAD MANY CAREER'S, STEWERDESS,REAL ESTATE, COULD GO ON AND ALWAYS TRIED TO BE THE BEST I COULD BE AT ALL PROFESSIONS...
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                                                                                                          • Pamela G
                                                                                                            Same here
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                                                                                                        • Jeanine R
                                                                                                          I would have loved to be an airline stewerdess but I was not given any encourgement so that did not happen and that is okay I had to figure some things out and that is also okay.
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                                                                                                          • Paul W 383502
                                                                                                            I am neither.
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                                                                                                            • Linda 3
                                                                                                              I was always told that I should be a piano player because of my long piano fingers, but that would have bored me. I am not into that sort of thing. It is best to stick with what you are interested in and you will be more successful at it.
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                                                                                                              • Melinda B 311794
                                                                                                                I sm s really talented natural tapdancer, but would hate to do it for a living. I have bad arthritis.
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                                                                                                                • Pamela G
                                                                                                                  Sorry to hear this. I have RA but haven't had any pain for over two years. So glad to have it under control. Currently my finances are recovering. It is a long haul but I have some things back now. If I can learn to walk again I can do anything.
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                                                                                                                • Melinda B 311794Pamela G
                                                                                                                  I was being silly about the tap-dancing, but I do have quite bad osteoarthritis. Seems to run in my family. I can only imagine what RA would be like. Sorry to hear you are struggling also. How did you get your pain under control? I have had to take opioids and they have mucked me around a bit. It is great to have some mobility back, but not at the expense of my overall health.
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                                                                                                              • BLACK LIVES MATTER
                                                                                                                each according to her/his ability - each according to her/his needs
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                                                                                                                • Tina 423889
                                                                                                                  Sometimes its good advice, you can still do what you love and work a different job though.
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                                                                                                                  • Jacqueline R 353303
                                                                                                                    Always good to hear other peoples opinions but in the end your choice.
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                                                                                                                    • Linda C
                                                                                                                      This decision is entirely your own. You can follow your talent if you wish and still build on other areas after all this is what growing up is all about.
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