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kbeddes's review against another edition
4.0
I need to learn my lesson and stop listening to educational audiobooks because I want to highlight and reread certain parts! I read this as a follow-up to Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown and it was a perfect pairing. The book is split into three different sections: deep practice, ignition, and master coaching. The author goes to several different "talent hotbed" looking for commonalities in where genius is grown. I think the biggest takeaway from the book is the power of myelin and how one can use it for lifelong learning. It was interesting for me to look back over the skills and talents that I possess and realize that they are results of the growth of myelin, and the things that I haven't developed yet is just an opportunity for more myeline growth. The things in this book connected to learning in my masters classes, researchers like Csikszentmihalyi, Vygotsky, Dweck, and others. SO INTERESTING. I wish there was a way to teach my kids this stuff.
thepermageek's review against another edition
5.0
This book is sooooo chock-full of amazing tips, tricks, hacks, & quotes on how to nurture, grow, and sustain the various elements of “talent” (ie: motivation/inspiration, skill acquisition via regular practice, great coaching) that there was simply no way I would’ve been able to read this book without a pencil in hand. In fact, I ended up taking 5 full pages of notes (especially noting which psychology research studies he referenced that I want to look further into). Can't recommend enough.
For fans of: [b:Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance|27213329|Grit The Power of Passion and Perseverance|Angela Duckworth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457889762l/27213329._SY75_.jpg|45670634], [b:Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise|26312997|Peak Secrets from the New Science of Expertise|K. Anders Ericsson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1445050174l/26312997._SY75_.jpg|46312952], [b:The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life|37901642|The Passion Paradox A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life|Brad Stulberg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538487446l/37901642._SY75_.jpg|59607103], & [b:Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else|4485966|Talent is Overrated What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else|Geoff Colvin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440778775l/4485966._SY75_.jpg|4642546].
For fans of: [b:Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance|27213329|Grit The Power of Passion and Perseverance|Angela Duckworth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457889762l/27213329._SY75_.jpg|45670634], [b:Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise|26312997|Peak Secrets from the New Science of Expertise|K. Anders Ericsson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1445050174l/26312997._SY75_.jpg|46312952], [b:The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life|37901642|The Passion Paradox A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life|Brad Stulberg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538487446l/37901642._SY75_.jpg|59607103], & [b:Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else|4485966|Talent is Overrated What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else|Geoff Colvin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440778775l/4485966._SY75_.jpg|4642546].
dirtmidas's review against another edition
2.0
It's well researched and there's really cool stuff in here but it's not for me. There was nothing in here I haven't already learned from other pop psych books
miseamhain's review against another edition
5.0
Really good book I changed my approach to how I develop skills and practice
raviwarrier's review against another edition
3.0
The insight that the book has to give is valuable and yet the only problem I have with it is that this could have been articulated in full in a blog post.
If you want the quick answer as to what the secret is: read a summary of the book or watch the author's TedX talk. It'll save you the grind of reading stories upon stories revolving around that secret.
If you want the quick answer as to what the secret is: read a summary of the book or watch the author's TedX talk. It'll save you the grind of reading stories upon stories revolving around that secret.
wesbaker's review against another edition
3.0
I'm happy I listened to this on audiobook as I would be a little frustrated after reading something that felt like a lot of fluff.
The first part of the book is dedicated to myelin and it's relationship to how we build skills. However, the way you build myelin is through deep practice, which he covers in the second part of the book. So all that discussion of myelin is simply just interesting, but not actionable at all. The parts on deep practice are interesting though and worth the listen, but again, I'm not sure if it's worth spending the time to read it, it felt a bit fluffy.
The last part of the book was about coaching, which is something i'm becoming more and more interested in for multiple reasons. I liked seeing how some of the best coaches get what they need out of their charges. At the same time, I was even happier to see that the author pointed out that one approach does not work for all skills, let alone all people learning the same skill. You have to adapt your coaching both for the person and the skill being taught (e.g. the futbol de salad coaches let their players just play, but the Suzuki violin teachers were constantly picking and correcting).
All in all, I'm glad I listened to it, but I'm not rushing back for a second read.
The first part of the book is dedicated to myelin and it's relationship to how we build skills. However, the way you build myelin is through deep practice, which he covers in the second part of the book. So all that discussion of myelin is simply just interesting, but not actionable at all. The parts on deep practice are interesting though and worth the listen, but again, I'm not sure if it's worth spending the time to read it, it felt a bit fluffy.
The last part of the book was about coaching, which is something i'm becoming more and more interested in for multiple reasons. I liked seeing how some of the best coaches get what they need out of their charges. At the same time, I was even happier to see that the author pointed out that one approach does not work for all skills, let alone all people learning the same skill. You have to adapt your coaching both for the person and the skill being taught (e.g. the futbol de salad coaches let their players just play, but the Suzuki violin teachers were constantly picking and correcting).
All in all, I'm glad I listened to it, but I'm not rushing back for a second read.
ominousevent's review
3.0
The first section ("Deep Practice") was especially interesting. My attention flagged after a while as I kept reading – there are a *lot* of anecdotes/little stories, and while I know that's half the point of this book ("look at the incredible variety of situations this applies to") it felt like I was spending too long in the shallows of something. But that's a hazard of reading pop science. This is pretty good really.
hricarte's review against another edition
3.0
An informative read but not earth shattering. I was reminded quite a bit of Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers." I was fascinated with the myelin sheathing and enjoyed the different examples of people who seemed to have the talent code down.
davidr's review against another edition
4.0
The thesis of this excellent book is that talent is developed by the right kind of practice. This practice repeatedly fires the correct neurons, which develops the myelin sheaths that surround these neurons; a positive feedback ensues, further strengthening the neuron connections.
Brute repetition is not the type of practice that the author recommends; he discusses a "deep" practice that breaks down a complex skill into component parts, and repeats the parts until they become perfect and ingrained. The right type of coach can enormously speed up the process, and help one to learn from one's mistakes.
The most interesting part of the book are the visits the author makes to so-called "talent hot-beds". These are places that where skills are built with extraordinary results, all out of proportion to their size, or the quality of their environment or facilities. Well worth reading!
Brute repetition is not the type of practice that the author recommends; he discusses a "deep" practice that breaks down a complex skill into component parts, and repeats the parts until they become perfect and ingrained. The right type of coach can enormously speed up the process, and help one to learn from one's mistakes.
The most interesting part of the book are the visits the author makes to so-called "talent hot-beds". These are places that where skills are built with extraordinary results, all out of proportion to their size, or the quality of their environment or facilities. Well worth reading!