Book Titles

Talent is Overrated
What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else

By Geoff Colvin

Year Published: 2008
ISBN-13: 978-1-59184-224-8
Categories: Achievement, Skills, Talent

204 Quotes Found

Quote Image Quote Page Number

Talent is Overrated:

Starting early holds advantages that become less available later in life.

171

Talent is Overrated:

Any adult thinking of starting a professional career in any field in which some participants begin their development as small children should first get out a calculator and face the music.

172

Talent is Overrated:

Most organizations are not intellectually stimulating, even when the field itself might seem fascinating…

174

Talent is Overrated:

…rather than offering opportunities to learn and rewarding curiosity, the typical organization leaves inquisitive employees to find their own ways to learn.

174

Talent is Overrated:

…instead of furnishing structure and support… many organizations operate in a cover-your-ass culture that is mainly about avoiding blame.

175

Talent is Overrated:

One of the best established and least surprising findings in psychology is that as we age, we slow down.

179

Talent is Overrated:

…excellent performers seem to continue achieving at high levels well beyond the point where age-related declines would seem to make that impossible.

180

Talent is Overrated:

…excellent performers suffer the same age-related declines in speed and general cognitive abilities as everyone else – except in their field of expertise.

180

Talent is Overrated:

When it comes to tasks that are part of their domain of expertise, great performers can keep performing at a high level even after their skills outside their domain have deteriorated.

181

Talent is Overrated:

…well-designed practice, pursued for enough time, enables a person to circumvent the limitations… and circumventing limitations is the key to high performance at an advanced age.

182