Another book, The Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, sub-titled "The Story of Success," says something similar as G.Downunder mentions are in Music and the Brain (if that's the exact title). Outliers is not focused only on music but any kind of excellence you want to acquire. But in reference to music, Gladwell reported on studies proving that practice is the great equalizer: Those who achieved highest honours at their instruments (I forget the precise context, the passage was read to a group, I don't have the book) had practised about 10,000 hours to get there. It would appear that "I have no talent" means nothing if you are willing to work your ass off. The musical director who read from the book also mentioned the importance of doing the work with joy, but maybe she got that from one of the chorus' coaches.