The distinction between habits and skills is vital to how we think about talent development.
Skills are abilities available for access on demand. Habits are automatic behaviors. Skills are not automatic the way habits are. Skills are potential energy; habits are kinetic energy. Skills remain available until we use them like tools to skillfully navigate in our world.
With this distinction, it becomes more clear how teaching habits is more important than just skills. Habit learning can begin with skill learning, except in the many cases where habits are simply new constellations of existing skills.
Habit teaching requires a whole different approach than skill teaching because habits require learning how to develop will, focus and all the nuances of sustainable habit building.