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

WallStreetJournalandBusinessWeekbestsellerAskedtoexplainwhyafewpeopletrulyexcel,mostpeopleofferoneoftwoanswers.Thefirstishardwork.Yetweallknowplentyofhardworkerswhohavebeendoingthesamejobforyearsordecadeswithoutbecominggreat.Theotherpossibilityisthattheelitepossessaninnatetalentforexcellingintheirfield.WeassumethatMozartwasbornwithanastoundinggiftformusic,andWarrenBuffettcarriesageneforbrilliantinvesting.Thetroubleis,scientificevidencedoesn'tsupportthenotionthatspecificnaturaltalentsmakegreatperformers.AccordingtodistinguishedjournalistGeoffColvin,boththehardworkandnaturaltalentcampsarewrong.Whatreallymakesthedifferenceisahighlyspecifickindofeffort-"deliberatepractice"-thatfewofuspursuewhenwe'repracticinggolforpianoorstockpicking.Basedonscientificresearch,TalentisOverratedsharesthesecretsofextraordinaryperformanceandshowshowtoapplytheseprinciples.Itfeaturesthestoriesofpeoplewhoachievedworld-classgreatnessthroughdeliberatepractice-includingBenjaminFranklin,comedianChrisRock,footballstarJerryRice,andtopCEOsJeffreyImmeltandStevenBallmer.