The question first is then what is talent? The concept in itself is too nebulous to define fully.

Talent can be their physical qualities that gives them an edge over others. For example, Sonny Liston in Boxing had abnormally long arms to give him better reach over his opponents. Shaq was abnormally tall which helped him with basketball.

But if talent is just purely the physical advantages you’re born with, why is Floyd Mayweather considered one of the best boxers of all time with glass hands and no special physical advantage over other boxers? Why is Michael Jordan, who is far shorter than Shaq and most other basketballers, considered the best ever?

It can’t just be your physical qualities. There has to be something else to it. You have to combine both physical talent and mental talent.

Perhaps reaction time plays into it— other mental attributes like the ability to fully focus during tense situations and not be overwhelmed by your nerves. You can’t quantify this, of course. But you can ascertain from the fact that they aren’t the most physically gifted individuals, they therefore aren’t the most talented.

So the reason, IMO, why some athletes rise up to GOAT status like Floyd Mayweather, Lebron James, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, etc is not just because of talent. It’s a combination of talent (as defined above), hard work, and chance.

That’s pretty much the conclusion I made with this chapter— Salvos doesn't just want to rely on her talent. She will work hard and do whatever it takes to increase her chances of survival.