Here is how you can become Extraordinary according to NeuroScience.
In a popular video, a 13-year old girl Clarissa (a pseudonym) practices the clarinet on-screen, attempting to play a new song she’s heard. Clarissa isn’t musically gifted — she doesn’t have a good ear, superior rhythm, or even great motivation. In the video, she begins with short bursts of broken notes and starts over each time she fails, frowning in concentration to figure out what went wrong. Initially, she sounds bad and appears to be failing. Yet, as she gradually applies the fixes, each rendition gets better. By the end of 6 minutes, she has made as much progress as someone who has practiced for a full month.
How can Clarissa improve so phenomenally in something she has no special talent in? Is it possible to code and replicate this process to achieve superior results in any endeavor?
To answer these questions, Daniel Coyle researched the latest neurological findings and personally traveled to various “talent hotbeds” around the world to investigate how they’ve managed to produce an unusual number of talents.
He discovered 3 key elements for developing breakthrough performance in any area — be it sports, music, math, or arts. In this article, we’ll explain the role of myelin in skills development, and give an overview of the 3 components of the talent code: Deep practice, Ignition, and Master Coaching. While each element is helpful, the magic comes from a combination of all 3 ingredients.
MYELIN AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Skills are determined by brain circuits. Our brains are made up of billions of neurons connected by synapses. Whenever we do something (e.g. play a musical chord or complete a tennis stroke), electrical signals are sent through circuits of nerve fibers associated with those skills. The more you use a circuit, the more refined and intuitive your responses become. Eventually, the actions become so automatic that you’re not even aware that you’re using the skills.
When you practice something, you’re repeatedly sending electrical impulses along a circuit. This triggers the development of myelin around the nerve fibers. The thicker the myelin, the faster and more precise your thoughts/movements.
Generally:
• Myelin only develops when synapses are fired in the neural circuits, i.e. you can only develop myelin through action.
• Myelin is universal. You can grow myelin at any age, though it grows fastest in children and youths, and gradually declines after the age of 50. Once developed, myelin benefits all types of skills.
• Once a skill circuit is insulated by myelin, it stays insulated unless (i) there’s deterioration due to aging/disease, or (ii) you build new circuits or habits.
The 3 elements of the talent code influence how myelin is built, to speed up skills and talent development.
The 3 Elements of The Talent Code
Here’s a quick overview of the 3 ingredients behind the talent code.
1. DEEP PRACTICE
We tend to associate talent with effortlessness. In reality, you need to struggle and repeatedly overcome mistakes to develop your skills. “Talented” individuals and groups seem to deliver extraordinary results effortlessly because they’ve already put in years of practice and hard work behind the scenes.
Deep practice accelerates learning by putting you in an optimal learning zone. This involves
- deep concentration,
- operating at the edge of your ability (where you’ll definitely make mistakes),
- pausing to correct your mistakes, and
- repeating the cycle over and over until everything clicks into place.
2. IGNITION
To develop world-class skills, you must persistently learn and struggle, which can be very tedious. To sustain the effort, you need immense motivation. Ignition is the fuel that helps to power 10,000 hours of deep practice.
3. MASTER COACHING
Deep practice and ignition are essential for world-class skills. However, it’s equally important to have the right mentor(s) to direct your efforts. Master coaches provide precise inputs and guidance to help their students perfect their skills circuits and build myelin in the right areas.
What Else is Covered in “The Talent Code” Book
The book “Talent Code” is full of vivid examples of exceptional performance by individuals and groups, including aviation, chess, music, sports, etc. to illustrate talent development in various situations. Daniel Coyle ends the book by discussing the possible implications of myelin for education, business, psychology, aging, and parenting.
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