There are some books that I think would be better as a TED talk or article than a full length book. The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle, while enjoyable, was one of them. There are some good nuggets of ideas about how to develop talent, and a lot of good stories, but not so much meat. Like I said – an article or TED talks worth of ideas.
The premise of The Talent Code is that talent isn’t genetic, or at least not primarily so, but something that can be built over time with deep practice (what is more classically referred to as ‘deliberate practice’, or the 10,000 hour rule), with proper inspiration/motivation, and great coaching. Coyle explores each of these three areas in the three parts of the book, building from one to the next. He also tries to explain the neurological reason why these inputs are impactful in increasing talent. Truthfully, the science seemed kind of superficial and simplistic, and feels like a way for him to buttress his argument by making it objective, but I’ll leave any real comment here to the scientists.
Although he doesn’t spell this out, it does seem to me that there is another side of passion-plus-deep practice, which is a kind of maniacal focus on a particular goal. If you’ve ever listened to the Founders podcast, you’ll know what I’m talking about. This can lead to exceptional outcomes, but also an incredible narrowness. Now, it may be that narrowness is necessary in service of greatness, and perhaps not all of us are cut oou for either that kind of focus or sacrifice, and so greatness eludes us. However I wish Coyle would have addressed this directly, because its absence leaves one with only the rosy side of accomplishment – not what it leaves behind.
Like The Culture Code, another book by Coyle that I read, The Talent Code felt like most of his ideas were ones I encountered elsewhere, even if they were useful or a good reminder, even as he did a good job of putting them together. It felt like a lighter version of Adam Grant. There are some good pieces for educators – reminders about the importance of practice; to praise effort; that care matters more than positive words. Maybe better as an audiobook?
Just Because I Liked It:
- I enjoyed this debate hosted by Honestly, about whether the American Dream is Alive and Well. I vote with the majority.
- I’m only in the middle of episode 1, but I’m intrigued by Emily Oster’s new podcast, Raising Parents. For all of us struggling to be the ‘best’ parents, it seems worth the listen.
- I’m obviously not a finance person, but seem to have fallen into a niche of finance lessons for life. I really enjoyed this conversation with Rand Stagen on Rule Breaker Investing. I’m not sure if it will help you be a better investor, but it will help you be a better leader and person.