Talent Code Flashcards
Skill is
A cellular insulation that wraps neural circuits and that grows in response to certain signals
Brain is not a recorder
its a scaffold. The more we generate impulses, encountering and overcoming difficulties, the more scaffolding we build. The more scaffolding we build, the faster we learn.
Myelin Sheathing
- Every human movement, thought or feeling is a precisely timed electric signal traveling through a chain of neutrons 2. Myelin is the insulation that wraps these fibres and increases signal strength, speed an accuracy 3. The more we fire a particular circuit, the more myelin optimizes that circuit, the strong more fluent our actions and thoughts become.
Why is targeted, mistake focused practice so effective?
Because the best way to build a good circuit is to fire it, attend to mistakes, and fire it again, over and over. Struggle is not an option. its a requirement
Why are passion and persistence the key ingredients of talent
Because myelin wrapping around a big circuit requires immense energy and time. If you don’t love it, you will never work that hard to be great.
Automacity
The more we develop a skill circuit, the less were aware that we are using it.
Deliberate Practice
Working on technique, seeking constant critical feedback, focusing ruthlessly on shoring up weaknesses
Aristotle
Excellence is a habit
Rules of Myelin
- The firing of the circuit is paramount.
Myelin is not built to respond to fond wishes or values ideas. The mechanism is built to respond to actions. It responds to urgent repetition. - Myelin is Universal
- Myelin wraps but does not unwrap—the only way to change habits is to build new habits to replace the old ones- by myelinating new circuits
- Age Matters— sTART Young for greatness
Building skill or knowledge
consists of identifying important elements and building them into an important neural framework
Rule One: Chunk it Up
Look at the task as a whole—the megacircuit. Then, break the task into its smallest possible chunks. Third, play with time, slowing the action down, then speeding it up to learn its architecture
Self regulation
Observe, judge and strategize their own performance.
Two: Repeat IT
3-5 hours of deep practice a day. Must be deep focused practice to be effective. Must be continuous.
Rule Three: Learn to Feel It
- Pick a target
- Reach for it
- Evaluate the gap between the target and the reach
- Return to step one
Hotspots of genius
create a competitive environment with a race to the top.