Nobody's a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to

When Paul Coffey, the swift and elegant defenseman of hockey’s golden stage, declared, “Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. It’s hard to stay on top,” he stripped away the illusion of effortless greatness. In these words is contained the hard wisdom of mastery: that talent alone is not enough, that excellence is earned through sweat and persistence, and that the true challenge is not in rising, but in remaining. His voice was not only that of an athlete, but of a sage, reminding us that greatness is not a gift but a burden carried with diligence.

The origin of this saying lies in Coffey’s own career. Renowned for his dazzling speed and offensive brilliance from the blue line, he was one of the finest defensemen the game had ever seen. Yet even he, blessed with skill, understood that no one is born at the summit. Hours of skating, endless drills, and years of sacrifice forged his path. And even after reaching the mountaintop, the climb did not end—because once at the peak, the world conspires to unseat you. Rivals study your every move, age tests your endurance, and complacency whispers its ruin. Thus, Coffey spoke not of talent, but of work, of the relentless striving that sustains greatness.

The ancients, too, proclaimed this truth. The Greeks sang of heroes whose strength was mighty, but even Achilles required training under Chiron, the wise centaur, before his gifts bore fruit. The Romans exalted discipline above natural inclination, declaring that the legions conquered not through talent, but through relentless drills. To believe one is a “natural” is to invite downfall; to recognize that all mastery is labor is to prepare oneself for endurance. Coffey’s words echo this timeless wisdom: excellence is not birthright—it is toil, vigilance, and will.

Consider the story of Wayne Gretzky, Coffey’s teammate and the greatest scorer the game has known. Many believed Gretzky was a “natural,” a prodigy touched by fate. Yet Gretzky himself often spoke of how he studied angles, anticipated plays, and worked endlessly on the details that others ignored. His genius was not effortless—it was sharpened by endless effort. And like Coffey, he knew that staying on top was the hardest task of all, for the summit is narrow, and every challenger seeks to pull you down.

The lesson is clear: in life, as in sport, no one is a natural. We may be gifted, but gifts alone cannot sustain us. To rise demands work; to remain demands even greater work. The world will always present new rivals, new challenges, new storms. To endure, we must cultivate discipline, humility, and persistence, refusing the lie that greatness can be achieved without struggle.

What then must we do? First, embrace the grind, knowing that work is the forge in which mastery is shaped. Second, beware of complacency, for the summit is slippery, and yesterday’s effort cannot win tomorrow’s battles. Third, honor the process more than the outcome, recognizing that the journey of improvement never ends, even for the greatest among us.

Thus, Paul Coffey’s words endure: “Nobody’s a natural… it’s hard to stay on top.” They are not merely the reflections of a hockey player, but the creed of all who would achieve and sustain greatness. Let us then rise each day not expecting ease, but ready to labor, to sharpen our gifts, to battle against complacency. For in the end, it is not natural talent, but unyielding effort, that crowns the victor and keeps him upon the mountain.