Do you want to be great?
Talent is Overrated author, Geoffrey Colvin, suggests to start with this action step. Stop believing greatness is something people are born with.Studies have shown that, though intelligence and some natural ability can be helpful additions to becoming a master at something, they don’t actually do the job on their own. Of course, practice makes sense as a way to improve but can you really become world class by just practicing? Then wouldn’t everyone? And how do you explain the people that just seem to get it and are worlds better? Can you say that isn’t just freaky talent? The answers lie in deliberate practice.
Deliberate Practice
Deliberate practice is identifying the places you fall short and working ad nauseam on its improvement while getting continuous feedback.Deliberate practice, especially from a young age, can lead to almost superhuman differences in people that, though not different from birth, makes them fundamentally different from most people in a number of ways. Specially, a sharpened sense of relevant information in their field, a physically altering of their body due to their efforts, and an above average amount of knowledge about their field.
Sure, Somethings People Are Born With
This isn’t to say that some people aren’t born with slight advantages like stronger arms, extra height, or longer fingers. However, it is actually The Multiplier Effect that turns those small advantages in the superhuman talent the later emerges. The Multiplier Effect is where that small advantage makes you just a little bit better thus you might get a little more support or attention thus creating a snowball effect, especially at a younger age. For example, being a little faster than your peers thus in basketball practice you keep up a little faster so you get more playing time, thus more experience and you improve at a faster interval. Your earlier success might push you towards an interest in that field or maybe your success encourages your parents to put you in lessons so that you are forced to practice those skills and begin to develop an internal drive. That internal drive is the most important key to carrying you through the beginning phase of your development, through your practice sessions, through failure and on to success and breakthrough years later. It can be alluring to see talented people as being dealt a good hand. It can make you feel better to believe you can’t do anything about your abilities but don’t buy into it. Instead, audit your life and your passions. What are you good at? What do you wish you were better at? How can you improve through deliberate focused practice? Lastly, accept that you won’t be good at everything because you aren’t passionate enough about everything to get there. Accept that you aren’t choosing to improve in one place in favor of improving somewhere else. You only have so much time, use it well.
