Talent is Overrated: What Really Separated World-class Performers from Everybody ElseExpanding on a landmark cover story in Fortune, a top journalist debunks the myths of exceptional performance. One of the most popular Fortune articles in many years was a cover story called ?What It Takes to Be Great.? Geoff Colvin offered new evidence that top performers in any field--from Tiger Woods and Winston Churchill to Warren Buffett and Jack Welch--are not determined by their inborn talents. Greatness doesn?t come from DNA but from practice and perseverance honed over decades. And not just plain old hard work, like your grandmother might have advocated, but a very specific kind of work. The key is how you practice, how you analyze the results of your progress and learn from your mistakes, that enables you to achieve greatness. Now Colvin has expanded his article with much more scientific background and real-world examples. He shows that the skills of business?negotiating deals, evaluating financial statements, and all the rest?obey the principles that lead to greatness, so that anyone can get better at them with the right kind of effort. Even the hardest decisions and interactions can be systematically improved. This new mind-set, combined with Colvin?s practical advice, will change the way you think about your job and career?and will inspire you to achieve more in all you do. |
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
| 5 stars |
| ||
| 4 stars |
| ||
| 3 stars |
| ||
| 2 stars |
| ||
| 1 star |
|
LibraryThing Review
User Review - piersanti - LibraryThingA fantastic book, especially the first three-fourths. It's completely counterintuitive, but innate talent really does appear to be overrated. It seems that 'deliberate practice' is much, much more ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - tabascofromgudreads - LibraryThingInsightful analysis of excellence and excellent performance in any field. The point of the book is in the title: the concept of "innate talent", when it comes to great performance, is overrated in our ... Read full review
Contents
One The Mystery 1 | |
Two Talent Is Overrated | 17 |
Three How Smart Do You Have to Be? | 36 |
Four A Better Idea | 52 |
Five What Deliberate Practice Is and Isnt | 65 |
Six How Deliberate Practice Works | 84 |
Seven Applying the Principles in Our Lives | 105 |
Other editions - View all
Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from ... Geoff Colvin Limited preview - 2011 |
Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from ... Geoff Colvin Limited preview - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
ability Anders Ericsson apply average ball become believe better career chapter chess players coach companies concept creative deliberate practice demanding digits domain drive employees evidence example excellent performers experience expertise explain extrinsic motivators factors famous feedback focused golf happen hard high achievement highly Howard Gardner Immelt important improve innate innovation intense Jack Welch Jeff Immelt Jeffrey Immelt Jerry Rice kids knowledge look managers mance memory mental model Mozart multiplier effect myelin never organizations parents person pianists play practice activities principles problem Procter & Gamble produced question recall Rice role seems shows significant skills someone specific Stanley Drucker Steven Ballmer story talent teacher tennis there's things Tiger Woods top performers top-level traits trying turn understand violinists Warren Buffett
Bibliographic information
| Title | Talent is Overrated: What Really Separated World-class Performers from Everybody Else Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-class Performers from Everybody Else, Geoffrey Colvin |
| Author | Geoffrey Colvin |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint, revised |
| Publisher | Penguin, 2008 |
| ISBN | 1591842247, 9781591842248 |
| Length | 228 pages |
| Subjects | › › Psychology / Applied Psychology Self-Help / Personal Growth / Success |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |