One of the coaches at my gym likes to say, "boxing is easy."

But I think he means something similar to what you're saying, i.e., putting in the work, training, learning a new skill, etc., is the hard part. After that, then you are boxing, and then it is easy. You have to spend countless hours and time calibrating before you can out yourself on autopilot.

As for "talent," maybe we should be asking ourselves, what's the thing from which you can achieve the best results with the least amount of struggle. Maybe that's your talent. Talent still needs cultivating, but knowing yours is like knowing where the best soil is for planting.