The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.

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Coyle's description of the disciplined and, arguably, regimented KIPP academies reminds me of my own elementary school experience, which surely resembled a typical Catholic school education. I like that Coyle emphasizes the importance of discipline in the details, which promote excellence and discipline in the really important things in life. If more myelination means becoming faster, better and more accurate, you would definitely want to know how it is created, and how we can influence it. I have always maintained that excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work. —Charles Darwin”

Drawing on cutting-edge neurology and firsthand research gathered on journeys to nine of the world's talent hotbeds—from the baseball fields of the Caribbean to a classical-music academy in upstate New York—Coyle identifies the three key elements that will allow you to develop your gifts and optimize your performance in sports, art, music, math, or just about anything. Another feature of deep practice is practicing on the outskirts of our comfort zone. When we practice, we should never feel as if we're "coasting." The idea is that we should stretch ourselves to be just outside of our comfort zone, but not at the point of snapping. So, for example, don't just practice the songs you know, or don't just run the same route everyday. We need to stretch ourselves and make practicing a challenge.The trouble with recognizing talent, is that we only see it once it's been established. We see the finished product, rather than all of the hard work and practice that's gone into honing skills. A lot of the reason for this is because we only notice people once they've reached their peak. People who rise to greatness have cultivated their skills and developed myelin through hours and hours of deep practice. Ignite Your Passion Finally, deep practice is about time. Success doesn’t come easy. In fact, on average, you’ll need about 10,000 hours to master a skill. What's the one thing that you wish you were good at? Have you ever looked at another person and wished that you were as talented as them? Not only does Daniel Coyle de-code talent, but he uses his own to brilliantly weave the story behind greatness. Clearly, he's honed his writing talent. (And, after reading this book, you'll understand the neurological processes enabling that growth!) The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning provides a framework for professional training. According to the authors, the six disciplines are as follows:

The sweet spot: that productive, uncomfortable terrain located just beyond our current abilities, where our reach exceeds our grasp. Deep practice is not simply about struggling; it's about seeking a particular struggle, which involves a cycle of distinct actions.” Filled with familiar tropes (if you've any familiarity with pop-psych literature and all), but I think there's value in going through the case studies and the breakdowns of how skill in any area is really cultivated: Deep practice, however, doesn't obey the same math. Spending more time is effective—but only if you're still in the sweet spot at the edge of your capabilities, attentively building and honing circuits. What's more, there seems to be a universal limit for how much deep practice human beings can do in a day. Ericsson's research shows that most world-class experts—including pianists, chess players, novelists, and athletes—practice between three and five hours a day, no matter what skill they pursue.”Buy 75 Ways for Managers to Hire, Develop, and Keep Great Employees. 3. Bridging the Soft Skills Gap: How to Teach the Missing Basics to Today’s Young Talent by Bruce Tulgan Buy The Talent Code. 10. Workplace Learning (How to Build a Culture of Continuous Employee Development) by Nigel Paine What a fascinating read! Daniel Coyle spent two years visiting talent "hotbeds," like Brazil with it's soccer factory, Russia's tennis training ground, and the Z-Boys in California. He studied the practicing, the coaches, and the environmental factors that contribute to these bundles of genius or greatness. He connects what he finds to the latest research and conclusions about how skills and talent grow at the brain level. His conclusions about growing talent are widely applicable, and the many anecdotes make the book a pleasure to read. What I found in the book makes me want to go learn a new language or instrument! My approach to helping my children practice new skills--even the way I compliment them for their effort is different now. How big the layer of protective myelin around your axons is determines how fast and how accurately electrons can go from one neuron to the next, and therefore, how good you are at performing the corresponding skill.