Where Great Talent Comes From

July 23, 2009

Interview with Daniel Coyle author of The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How

www.TheTalentCode.com
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Mike Carruthers:
When you study true champions, you find they don't just practice a lot - they practice on the "edge of their ability".

Daniel Coyle:
When you practice on the edge of your ability, you're able to essentially re- wire your brain.

Daniel Coyle author of the book The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How says practicing on the edge of your ability - is hard.

It would be the equivalent of trying to build big biceps by bench-pressing marshmallows. You don't build big biceps by bench-pressing marshmallows. What you want to do is get to the edge of your ability - get to that sweet spot where you feel that bittersweet frustration, where you are failing and fixing and re-wiring. That is what skill is made of - in those moments. And it's hard to do that.

And for a true champion, the practice never ends.

Vladimir Horowitz, the great pianist used to say, "If I don't practice for one day - I notice. If I don't practice for two days, my wife notices. If I don't practice for three days, the world noticed. All the greats that I have encountered follow that advice.

But if you have incredible, natural talent - can't you take a shortcut to greatness?

I refer you to the work of K. Anders Ericsson who has looked at entire symphony orchestras, he's looked at people from nurses to jet pilots, and his answer would be no. And clearly there are people who have… call it an aptitude, call it a passion - who are progressing faster. But at the very top, top end - world class, there isn't anybody who has taken a shortcut.

To listen to the complete unedited interview click here.