Most people want to tell you that hard work will get you wherever you need to go and even if you aren’t as good as those who are born “naturals”, you can work your way up. However, this is simply unrealistic. Of course one can work hard and definitely improve their skills and abilities, but if not born with real talent, they won’t be able to compete with those who are naturally inclined.

On the surface, hard workers are more appealing. By working hard, you get a more enthused and active workforce. But in actuality, people with natural talent are subconsciously chosen over those who just “work hard”.

In a study conducted by Chia-Jung Tsay at the University College London, groups of investors would be approached by entrepreneurs who were put into two groups; titled “naturals” and “strivers”. Before the experiment, the investors had  stated that they would choose hard workers over talent, yet at the end, “naturals” were chosen more often than “strivers”. The study shows how talent is more appealing in the workforce, as these people are better qualified for the jobs they are chosen to take on.

In addition, talent is more impressive than hard work. According to Business Insider, “So you spent years climbing your way to the C-suite at your last company, regularly working nights and weekends and taking on extra projects. Big deal. Tell us how you were promoted to the C-suite within a day of arriving at the company because they could tell you were a born visionary — then we’ll be impressed.” Reputations are a big factor in the hiring aspect of a job interview, and someone who is more impressive is more likely to be hired than someone who improves at a slower rate.

While we all want to say we value hard work, at the end of the day the more talented person is destined to succeed more than an individual with less talent.