The concept of talent is a fairy tale believed by the average.

Geoff Colvin is not wrong. “Talent Is Overrated.” I completely agree. Our society “celebrates achievement—we worship celebrity—but we virtually ignore where it comes from.”

If you’ve delved as deep as I have into the concept of mastery, then you know all about the life of Tiger Woods, Beethoven, and numerous chess grandmasters. You know exactly where 10,000 hours measures in your personal journey. But the one definition that I hadn’t yet put into words, or found clarity around, was the concept of deliberate practice. This is the core that Colvin offers his readers.

“Deliberate practice is characterized by several elements, each worth examining. It is activity designed specifically to improve performance, often with a teacher’s help; it pushes the practice just beyond, but not way beyond his or her current limits; it can be repeated a lot; feedback on results is continuously available; it’s highly demanding mentally, whether the activity is purely intellectual, such as chess or business-related activities, or heavily physical, such as sports; and it isn’t much fun.”

This means you have a coach/mentor, and enough self-awareness to know that you cannot always see yourself clearly. You’re not mindlessly hitting tennis balls or drilling crown preps. Your practice is intentional and designed. You choose every day to stay in the learning zone (see diagram below), which is difficult because it continuously changes as you grow. Greatness is cultivated by those who find joy here.

True deliberate practice is something most people on this planet will not do. If you can identify something you’re bad at, repeat it endlessly, accept feedback from someone you trust, do it some more, AND you get that spark in your eye when you see the tiniest bit of progress, then you, my friend, know deliberate practice. To some it sucks. To others it gives you life. 

Studies support Colvin’s entire definition of deliberate practice, except the no fun part. “Constantly trying to do things one can’t quite do, and thus failing repeatedly… is not inherently enjoyable.” Makes sense. But in a study of top-level athletes, “practice activities rated fairly high on a scale of enjoyableness.” Have you ever heard of flow? Or being in the zone. This might be our explanation. While in a flow state hours zoom by, you enjoy challenging work, and your focus is impenetrable. You know the feeling. And it’s so good. My brain lights up just describing it.

Let’s recap. The bad news- your old idea of practice wasn’t doing much for you. The good news- talent alone is not real. More good news- if you choose to be world-class at whatever you do, then you can and will be.

Rating: 3 Teeth

This book is a mandibular first molar. It’s not the most exciting read, but the foundation is super solid. I felt like I had heard a lot of Colvin’s examples before, but the specifics around deliberate practice are what made this book worth it for me. Read “Talent Is Overrated” to discover the fine details of this process, how to apply it in your personal and professional life, and how to compliment your drive with the right type of motivation.