These days, as a Suzuki teacher, I am a firm believer that the environment makes the child, that talent is not inborn, that anyone can learn to play the violin well. It was 26 years before I came around to this thinking, before I became a teacher (and before I was diagnosed with MS), years spent in harsh self-criticism and the belief that I wasn't smart enough, or talented enough, or social enough, or pretty enough, or any number of self-defeating beliefs that hampered creativity and joyful living.
I got through those years, though. In college, I survived them with a quote from Schumann: "Talent labors, genius creates." I don't know why that made me feel better, but it did. I didn't expect to be a genius, and seeing that statement reminded me that talented people still have to work hard.
Tonight I gave a violin lesson. This student is practicing. He is working hard. He is making a huge amount of progress. He is feeling (and looking) relaxed when he plays. He is getting excited about his new ability (I know because I asked him). He says that he's practicing more. I can tell. I love it that he's proven A. wrong. But even more, I love that little look of "woohoo!" that I see on his face when he's playing the violin now. I probably have that look myself, as I watch him.