This, 100%. Hard work and grit should always be praised more than "gift" alone. I was pretty smart as a kid, and my extended family (mainly my uncles, aunts etc) would always praise me if I achieved something good and fill my ego, but would also pile the pressure on to me by saying they "expect me" to get top in X, to get into X university and that I should be aiming to achieve a Nobel Prize (no kidding). If ever I didn't fully achieve what they expected of me, they would be surprised and assume I was cheated by the system. No I wasn't! The fact of the matter is that talent can only get you so far - as you've said, you eventually reach the stage where you have to work HARD, no matter how gifted you are. Those who work hard are usually the ones who succeed in life - this is how it should be, and these are the kinds of people who are worthy of respect.