I recently visited Vienna and attended a performance of the Royal Lipazzan stallions accompanied by  the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

The horses were so dazzling they seemed unreal. Their arched necks and rippling, muscled haunches spoke of controlled power.

The show’s host explained that that Spanish Riding School worked with the horses’ natural abilities and perfected them. Through years of training and close partnership between horse and rider, the horses could achieve astounding feats of grace and strength. With their snowy white coats and smooth, dancing steps, these glorious creatures seemed to float, otherworldly and
proud.

The boys in the choir sang along as the horses went through their moves. I was charmed by these young boys. They stood and fidgeted. They smiled and gave each other playful sidelong glances. Their choir master beamed.

And then they sang, filling the riding hall with the sounds of angels.

As with the horses, these boys had taken their natural abilities and, through training and partnership, elevated their talents to something heavenly and beyond what most of us could ever hope to achieve (or indeed even hear in our lifetimes).

It’s true that both the boys and the horses are selected as the very best of their ilk. But neither could achieve the pinnacles of their success and magnificent achievement without the willingness to work hard, and most importantly, the desire to shine and share their talents.

What could each of us achieve if we acknowledged our natural gifts and were willing to develop and share them?