Introduction: Aptitude measures a person’s ability to acquire a new skill or ability. It’s a measure related to intelligence. Attitude, on the other hand, is one’s mental perspective about a particular issue or person.
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What is Aptitude?
Aptitude is a person’s natural ability to learn something. Aptitude is the inborn ability to perform specific tasks. For example, a person with an aptitude for language can learn foreign languages easily. There are different types of aptitudes, such as mechanical aptitude, linguistic aptitude, artistic aptitude, organizational aptitude, physical aptitude, etc.
What is Attitude?
An attitude is one’s opinion or standpoint about something. It can be described as “a set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or event”. Attitudes are based on a person’s experiences, values, beliefs, and emotions. For example, two people can have two very different attitudes towards the same issue, i.e., one person may show a positive attitude while the other may show a negative attitude. Attitude defines how one works or proceeds toward the goal.
What are the Key differences between attitude and aptitude?
| Aspect | Aptitude | Attitude |
| Description | Aptitude is a competency to do a specific type of work | Attitude is a positive or negative or indifferent feeling toward a person, object, event, or idea. |
| Nature | Aptitude is related to talent | Attitude is related to character and personality |
| What they determine | Aptitude determines whether a person will develop desired skills to perform a task | Attitude underpins character, virtues, and moral values. |
| Type of characteristics | Aptitude can be mental or physical | Attitude is a psychological phenomenon |
What is more important for a successful life: Attitude or Aptitude?
Several elements play a vital role in achieving success, but it all starts where attitude meets aptitude. Possession of right attitude but with a lack of required aptitude will not lead to success. Similarly, one may squander one’s talent (aptitude) for the lack of right attitude.
Importance of Attitude
1. Attitude is the key to success because it can push one forward. Right attitude means knowing what you are capable of accomplishing. Ambition, determination, and commitment fuel the right attitude, also known as a positive attitude.
2. Attitude is one of the most important factors in helping one to get through the highs and lows of life. Since attitude spells how a person copes, whatever perspective one holds will invariably have an effect in one’s performance and the way one handles rejection or failure.
3. The ability to fit in with the culture and values of the company or organisation is crucial which demands a positive attitude to adapt. Many opportunities are lost, withheld, and forfeited because of attitude than from any other cause. For example, a negative attitude can make a student fail in an exam, but never give-up attitude can make her successful.
Importance of Aptitude
1. The importance of aptitude also needs to be emphasised. Attitude alone is not sufficient, one must be certain that he has learned the required skills.
2. Aptitude is important as it provides the requisite flexibility, passion and leadership skills that can make or break a candidate’s fulfilment of their job description.
3. In a constantly changing work environment, aptitude is crucial if one wants to succeed. If you have the potential to learn new skills and develop them over a time, success will not be far.
Thus, a balanced combination of both Aptitude and Attitude is necessary to achieve success. An ideal is a combination of experience and a positive attitude. Both attitude and aptitude are important, and emphasising one over the other has definite drawbacks. e.g. MS Dhoni was able to take leadership across all formats and lead all teams (national and IPL franchisee) because of his right attitude of remaining patient and supportive towards his team mates and having a great aptitude of cricket.
