The Talent Code

Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown.
by Daniel Coyle | A bantam book © 2009 · 246 pages

Whatever you want to learn, know this: It’s ALL about the myelin. Myelin? Yep. Myelin. In this Note we’ll learn what myelin is and why it’s so cool along with some other Big Ideas—ranging from the importance of “Deep Practice,” to the importance of baby steps as the royal road to skill and the fact that greatness isn’t about not magic, it’s about hard work.


I have always maintained that excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work.
Charles Darwin

“The idea that all skills grow by the same cellular mechanism seems strange and surprising because the skills are so dazzlingly varied. But then again, all of this planet’s variety is built from shared, adaptive mechanism; evolution could have it no other way. Redwoods differ from roses but both grow through photosynthesis. Elephants differ from amoebas but both use the same cellular mechanism to convert food into energy. Tennis players, singers, and painters don’t seem to have much in common but they all get better by gradually improving timing and speed and accuracy, by honing neural circuitry, by obeying the rules of the talent code—in short, by growing more myelin.”

~ Daniel Coyle from The Talent Code

The sub-title of The Talent Code says it all: “Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.”

Fact is, Michael Jordan and Michelangelo weren’t born great. They *created* their greatness.

In this book, Daniel Coyle gives us a brilliant, fun, inspiring look at precisely how extraordinary performers became so extraordinary.

And, more importantly, how we can shape our own destinies (and that of our kids and loved ones and communities) through rockin’ the three basic elements of the talent code: deep practice, ignition, and master coaching.

The book’s extremely well-written and is packed with great stories and Big Ideas. I highly recommend it if you’re interested in tapping into your ultimate potential. I’m excited to share some of my favorite goodness with you in this Note.

But, first, let’s start with a look at what makes it all come together: the microscopic substance called myelin.

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About the author

Authors

Daniel Coyle

Bestselling author of books on talent and success.