Which is More Important, Will or Skill?

Hmm…that’s a tough one.

Skill is definitely more important in certain areas like being a surgeon, technical support or a pilot. When you’re lying on an operating table ready for surgery you certainly want the one with the scalpel to be very skilled. No wrong movements.  The same can be said for someone who fixes the bugs in your computer or the pilot landing the plane.  It’s situations like these where the skill is more important than book knowledge or rapport.

However, what if the doctor or support person doesn’t have the will to do a good job? Their attitude basically is, “Let’s just get this over with.” Does that change your mind on how important will is?

It certainly does for me.  My experience has been that will greatly overcomes any skill deficiency. When someone has the unwavering will to be or do something there isn’t much to deter their efforts. I’ve seen it firsthand.

You can teach people a skill but you can’t teach them the will. That’s something they have to have already. They may not become an ace at the skill but because they have the steadfast will to do a task, they’ll find a way to make it happen by using their resources. 

What’s more important, will or skill? For me, WILL wins out every time.  It’s another way of referring to your spirit.