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Top positive review
43 people found this helpful
4.0 out of 5 starsYou're not fated to be mediocre
ByMike Earlon July 16, 2014
Coyle brings an empowering, exciting message to us: that we can grow our own greatness. That our skills are not fixed; they're not inherited or inherent inside of our DNA. I can't help but wish my parents had known the concepts of this book when I struggled with my baseball swing in 8th grade. But, I'm thankful to have this message known to me as a 31-year old -- both for my own growth of talent, and for how I will raise my future children.
After writing a draft of this glowing review, I decided to read the most helpful critical review of the book, as penned by Ronald Forbes. In many ways, his review was accurate, and also somewhat persuasive. In light of his review, I have tempered my own review and rating, down from 5 stars to 4 stars. To summarize, Forbes rightly points out that Coyle's book is more "pop journalism" (which I have no problem with...it helps keep this book interesting, and from being bogged down in scientific jargon), and he says the book's claims are nothing new. But if an author can present old ideas in a fresh way that can help us change our behaviors, then he should be commended for it!
This is the kind of book that you cannot help telling your friends and family about. Over the several weeks during which I read this book, I brought aspects of the book up in at least half a dozen conversations. It's a fun book. And you learn a lot.
I'm not skilled in science, so I'm not going to try to summarize what the heck myelin is. Basically, it's stuff in your brain that grows as you develop skill in ANY given area of life. So, Coyle tries to help us explain how to grow more myelin in our brains.
Coyle's three keys to growing talent:
1) Deep Practice - when I go out and play 18 holes, this is about as far from deep practice as you can get. Why? Because deep practice is all about fixing mistakes. You can do that on the driving range or the putting green, but not on the course (well, not easily, anyway). Think about it: how much time does the average golfer spend playing vs. practicing? 5-to-1? 10-to-1? Or any other sport or skill, for that matter.
The concept of deep practice is not about practicing for countless hours each day; instead, most of the talent hotbeds profiled in the book had pupils training less than e hours per day. But the 3 hours of practice at these hotbeds has exponentially greater yield than regular practice.
Deep practice is about struggling to get better. When we have to grapple with a weakness in our game, we can get to a point of breakthrough. "Experts practice differently and more strategically. When they fail, they don't blame it on luck or themselves. They have a strategy they can fix." (p 86).
2) Ignition - at some point in each of our lives, we watch a friend or colleague shoot to the moon (in some specific area of life or work), and we wonder, "how did he do that?" What switch was flipped in his brain? When we see it happen to someone just like us, it gives a sense that we could acquire that particular talent, whether it be a tennis swing, an ability to remodel a home, or learn to play the violin.
Coyle writes, "Ignition is about the set of signals and subconscious forces that create our identity; the moments that lead us to say that is who I want to be." He looks all over the globe to study how talent hotbeds were ignited: South Korean female golfers, Russian tennis players, Brazilian soccer players, Curaçaon baseball players, to a charter school that started in Houston. These are great stories; fun to share with friends.
3) Master Coaching - this doesn't mean you need some expensive, elite, impossible-to-access, famous coach. Nope, you just need a coach that has loads of experience, plenty of passion, and a knack for connecting interpersonally with his students.
"Master coaches aren't like heads of state. Their personality--their core skill circuit--is to be more like farmers: careful, deliberate cultivators of myelin." (165)
My 3 greatest takeaways from the book:
1) Praise your children for their hard work, not for their intelligence or their innate abilities. If they make the connection between hard work and increasing skill, they will be increasingly motivated to work hard, which therefore leads to more talent. An upward cycle, if you will.
2) Savor the struggle. When my slice is really acting up on the golf course, view it as a mountain to be conquered. Zone in and do whatever it takes to correct that circuitry.
3) Don't complain and envy those with more talent than me. Instead, use it as motivation and say, "If he can do it, so can I."
After writing a draft of this glowing review, I decided to read the most helpful critical review of the book, as penned by Ronald Forbes. In many ways, his review was accurate, and also somewhat persuasive. In light of his review, I have tempered my own review and rating, down from 5 stars to 4 stars. To summarize, Forbes rightly points out that Coyle's book is more "pop journalism" (which I have no problem with...it helps keep this book interesting, and from being bogged down in scientific jargon), and he says the book's claims are nothing new. But if an author can present old ideas in a fresh way that can help us change our behaviors, then he should be commended for it!
This is the kind of book that you cannot help telling your friends and family about. Over the several weeks during which I read this book, I brought aspects of the book up in at least half a dozen conversations. It's a fun book. And you learn a lot.
I'm not skilled in science, so I'm not going to try to summarize what the heck myelin is. Basically, it's stuff in your brain that grows as you develop skill in ANY given area of life. So, Coyle tries to help us explain how to grow more myelin in our brains.
Coyle's three keys to growing talent:
1) Deep Practice - when I go out and play 18 holes, this is about as far from deep practice as you can get. Why? Because deep practice is all about fixing mistakes. You can do that on the driving range or the putting green, but not on the course (well, not easily, anyway). Think about it: how much time does the average golfer spend playing vs. practicing? 5-to-1? 10-to-1? Or any other sport or skill, for that matter.
The concept of deep practice is not about practicing for countless hours each day; instead, most of the talent hotbeds profiled in the book had pupils training less than e hours per day. But the 3 hours of practice at these hotbeds has exponentially greater yield than regular practice.
Deep practice is about struggling to get better. When we have to grapple with a weakness in our game, we can get to a point of breakthrough. "Experts practice differently and more strategically. When they fail, they don't blame it on luck or themselves. They have a strategy they can fix." (p 86).
2) Ignition - at some point in each of our lives, we watch a friend or colleague shoot to the moon (in some specific area of life or work), and we wonder, "how did he do that?" What switch was flipped in his brain? When we see it happen to someone just like us, it gives a sense that we could acquire that particular talent, whether it be a tennis swing, an ability to remodel a home, or learn to play the violin.
Coyle writes, "Ignition is about the set of signals and subconscious forces that create our identity; the moments that lead us to say that is who I want to be." He looks all over the globe to study how talent hotbeds were ignited: South Korean female golfers, Russian tennis players, Brazilian soccer players, Curaçaon baseball players, to a charter school that started in Houston. These are great stories; fun to share with friends.
3) Master Coaching - this doesn't mean you need some expensive, elite, impossible-to-access, famous coach. Nope, you just need a coach that has loads of experience, plenty of passion, and a knack for connecting interpersonally with his students.
"Master coaches aren't like heads of state. Their personality--their core skill circuit--is to be more like farmers: careful, deliberate cultivators of myelin." (165)
My 3 greatest takeaways from the book:
1) Praise your children for their hard work, not for their intelligence or their innate abilities. If they make the connection between hard work and increasing skill, they will be increasingly motivated to work hard, which therefore leads to more talent. An upward cycle, if you will.
2) Savor the struggle. When my slice is really acting up on the golf course, view it as a mountain to be conquered. Zone in and do whatever it takes to correct that circuitry.
3) Don't complain and envy those with more talent than me. Instead, use it as motivation and say, "If he can do it, so can I."
Top critical review
One person found this helpful
3.0 out of 5 starsGood quick read - looking forward to The Culture Code
ByKate Con December 16, 2017
This was a quick read for a lazy weekend. The stories are fascinating but there is a lot of information that I have come across in other books about learning (both student and adult). Coyle presentes in a new way, however, and the review is aleáis helpful. Looking forward to The Culture Code!
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ByCharles B.on August 26, 2018
Enjoyed this book from start to finish. The real world examples presented are easy to relate to and apply to my own life.
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ByD. Fitzpatrickon August 23, 2018
If you know anything--ANYTHING--about neuroanatomy and have practiced anything in your life, it's pretty simple. Don't just "practice" something. Practice it with purpose. Have an objective. Practice until you make a mistake. Stop. Start again...until you make a mistake. Lather, rinse, repeat. Gradually, your nerve pathways will figure it out and you'll perform without making a mistake.
In other words, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
The book explains myelin and nerve pathways...but there's no mystery here. Purposeful repetition trumps thoughtless repetition. Any guitarist knows how this stuff works. Want to play Jimmy Page's solo in Stairway to Heaven? Break it down and learn it one passage at a time. Do it again and again. Once you've learned the first passage, go on to the second passage. One note at a time. If you make a mistake, stop...and start again. Ultimately, you'll be able to play the second passage flawlessly. Lather, rinse, repeat. Then,...wait for it...string them all together -- one passage after the last. If you make a mistake, stop...and start over.
Seriously, this is the "talent code" that seems so mysterious. Perfect practice. Don't practice through mistakes; practice TO mistakes...and start again.
Your welcome.
In other words, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
The book explains myelin and nerve pathways...but there's no mystery here. Purposeful repetition trumps thoughtless repetition. Any guitarist knows how this stuff works. Want to play Jimmy Page's solo in Stairway to Heaven? Break it down and learn it one passage at a time. Do it again and again. Once you've learned the first passage, go on to the second passage. One note at a time. If you make a mistake, stop...and start again. Ultimately, you'll be able to play the second passage flawlessly. Lather, rinse, repeat. Then,...wait for it...string them all together -- one passage after the last. If you make a mistake, stop...and start over.
Seriously, this is the "talent code" that seems so mysterious. Perfect practice. Don't practice through mistakes; practice TO mistakes...and start again.
Your welcome.
5.0 out of 5 starsthis is so helpful in providing insight to develop my own skill and to be a better instructor. Easy to read
BySamantha Hayeson August 19, 2018
I’m a musician and piano teacher, this is so helpful in providing insight to develop my own skill and to be a better instructor. Easy to read, engaging, and thoroughly researched. Will probably be reading this like it’s the Bible.
Bymigueldelafuenteon August 18, 2018
This is one of the best books i have read on the subject together with deep practice. This is a book you can read over and over and don’t get tired, and the info will be relevant for many years to come. Exceptional book
TurboMind Book Club
TurboMind Book Club
ByCheryl L. Laporteon August 13, 2018
Was a very interesting audible book. At times it seems as though the author goes over an over the same things. Nevertheless important information to gain from the book.
ByKevin Tranon August 10, 2018
This book brings its readers / listeners a huge leap towards enlightenment!!!
ByKristin M. Fioreon August 4, 2018
This book is fascinating for Science and non science lovers alike. It is an interesting read and very well-researched with great stories.
ByTerry L., Brockon August 4, 2018
This book is not only inspirational but educational and how to get the job done. I like the practical examples that they gave of real life people getting new skills and how they did it
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