The Roman poet, Horace, has said, "Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant." What he means is that hardships faced by an individual are the nod in the magnitude of disclosing aptitudes that are locked under peaceful situations. Horace declared that adversity will be the key that unlocks talent that would otherwise be caged and voiceless. Horace's claim about the development of flair propelled by difficulties is by far agreeable and supported by the timeless real-life examples of the talented artist, Charlie Chaplin, and the genius industrialist, Henry Ford, for whom are universally acknowledged as successful.

Charlie Chaplin, one of the most-loved comedians of all time, has been impoverished since infancy due to having a fragmented family dependent upon the minimal pay of a workhouse. His childhood calamity was not to be the only torment, for various scandals challenged his career life as well. Yet, the lurid byways helped keep his focus on artistry, where his talent was rooted, due to his desire to get away from criticism and controversies surrounding his private life. The distress of familial and career situations since the beginning of his life left him more time and space to console and grow his aesthetic soul, which eventually nurtured his talent for artistry.

Henry Ford is the famous father of the American car industry, whose prosperous achievements make his past misfortunes almost impossible to imagine. Nonetheless, what made his talent and innovative ideas blossom was another noteworthy series of catastrophes. Ford's first company was bankrupt, and so was his second company, doomed after altercations with his collaborators. In the most disappointing moment of his life, Ford learned from his experiences as lessons that sharpened his carefulness in dealing with business and sparked his industrial innovations by blocking all distracting social connections and preserving only the rights to his thoughts. The seemingly awful experiences brightened his soul and polished his aptitude for industrialism, further perfecting his talent.

The most devastating circumstances in life, usually involving failure or poverty, result in a catastrophic upheaval that awakens one's dormant talent and potential after pouring the once-broken confidence into an endeavor. The poverty that Charlie Chaplin faced did not prevent him from developing his talent for performance, nor did it kill his ambition; rather, the poverty that acts as an impediment elicits his talent by allowing him to grow his ambition and ability to overcome what appears to be a barrier. Similarly, Henry Ford's tragic start in business, which included disputes, bankruptcies, and failures, opens up a new way of thinking for him to develop and display his talent by putting the most difficult situations in front of him to overcome and benefit from. Both of these famous, successful talents were cultivated through adversity. If only sailing on a shallow river with no rapids, how is it to unbury the true ability of sailing and develop real skill?