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:

…continued deliberate practice enables top performers to maintain skills that would otherwise decline with age…

182

Talent is Overrated:

Just as improved methods of practice have raised standards of performance in virtually every field over time, they are also enabling top performers to continue achieving at high levels for more years than previously thought possible.

182

Talent is Overrated:

We can also train our mental abilities far later in life than previously believed.

183

Talent is Overrated:

Eventually, of course, everyone’s performance declines. Even the most diligent deliberate practice cannot fend off the advancing years forever.

185

Talent is Overrated:

…deliberate practice is hard. It’s so hard that no one can do it without the benefit of passion, a truly extraordinary drive.

186

Talent is Overrated:

It seems plausible that the role of practice in producing the highly enjoyable flow state could be part of [passion].

190

Talent is Overrated:

In some fields… fascination with the available problems seems to drive excellent performers.

190

Talent is Overrated:

…intrinsic drive is by far the most powerful.

191

Talent is Overrated:

…studies show that virtually any external attempt to constrain or control the work results in less creativity.

192

Talent is Overrated:

…extrinsic motivation that’s controlling is still detrimental to creativity, but extrinsic motivators that reinforce intrinsic drives can be highly effective.

192