In some genre of work, it is said that the talent is crucial. Some try "hard" in that realm in the hope to be successful... But sometimes I feel very strongly that it could ultimately be "What one likes, one will do well," indeed.

Great programmers would probably have (far) more fun in doing programming than others. Great tennis players would probably like tennis itself. High school students who easily get good scores in math tests would maybe like fiddling with mathematical equations, in the first place.

They say "Nothing is hard to a willing mind" ... If so, is it that the more you need to exert energy to do it "hard" on working on something, the more hopeless achieving the goal of language learning? Is it that if you do it extremely "painfully," it is seen from the eyes of top players as a sign of non-starter?

How strongly do I myself like English itself?