Core Argument - The key to success lies not in innate intelligence, but in the ability to exert effort, maintain focus, and persist towards a goal [10][12][19][23][24][27][30] - The speaker argues that society often overemphasizes innate talent while underappreciating the value of hard work and dedication [22] - The speaker advocates for educators to instill the value of effort in students from a young age, emphasizing that being called "esforçado" (hardworking) should be seen as a compliment [23][24] Personal Experience - The speaker recounts a personal experience of performing poorly in a math competition, which led to feelings of inadequacy despite being considered intelligent [1][4][5][6][7] - This experience led the speaker to initially believe that success in mathematics was only for geniuses and that he was not intelligent enough [7] - The speaker later realized that the issue was not a lack of intelligence, but a lack of preparation and effort for a challenging task [14][15][17][18] Application in Education and Training - The speaker, now a trainer for scientific Olympiads, uses this platform to teach young people the value of effort and perseverance [13][25][28] - The speaker highlights the success of his students in the Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad, attributing their achievements to hard work and dedication rather than innate talent [25][26] - The speaker emphasizes that the ability to exert effort is crucial for developing other skills, such as emotional intelligence and communication [27][29]