Talent is Overrated is must read for everyone. The main theme is that world-class performers are not born with genetic qualities that make them great. Instead, they become great because of the many years they spend practicing with focus and passion to improve every day. There are a few common themes with great performers:
Deliberate practice
- Great performers spend endless hours on intense/focused practice. They may only focus on one particular skill until they master it.
- Deliberate practice is not usually fun because you are pushing your limits and may even fail at times, but it is necessary to become great at any endeavor.
- World-class performers (including athletes) are extremely knowledgeable about their specific field. Does anyone know more about computers than Bill Gates? Anyone know more coaching and motivating players than Jon Wooden? Did they acquire theses skill at birth, or did they spend endless hours mastering these specific fields (deliberate practice)?
Intrinsic motivation
- To be great at anything, the motivation must come within.
- You must have the passion within throughout the entire process to be great. How many people do you know that are really motivated about something, but loss this passion over time? The answer is most people. Now, how many people do you know who are extremely motivated every day/every hour/every minute to be the best? The answer is not many. That’s why only a select few are considered world-class.
Genetics, innate ability, and giftedness are overused terms by individuals trying to look for an explanation for individuals who excel in their particular field. Instead, let’s focus on qualities that make individuals great such as intrinsic motivation, hard work, focus, dedication, passion to improve everyday, and deliberate practice. These are the traits that make individuals world-class.
Train Hard-Train Smart
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