If anybody caught ABC’s latest edition of “Nightline,” you might have seen a piece called “Enroll Yourself in the Genius Factory.” The popular notion is that musicians, actors, writers, and athletes are simply born with a natural gift. That may be, but what of those individuals that cultivate their talent over time? Was that raw ability always there, or did it flourish after years and years of practice? How does someone, who’s never played an instrument in their life, suddenly become a virtuoso in their late 30s?
Apparently, talent is not born, but made. Below, are the three ingredients to the concoction, according to Don Coyle and his book The Talent Code.
1. Practice, practice, practice…
2. Great coaching
3. Total concentration
This all hinges on a chemical in our brains called myelin, a white matter that coats nerve endings. When an action is repeated over and over, the myelin gradually increases. The more myelin that’s developed specific to an action, the easier that action is to perform. How many jump shots did Michael Jordan take each morning? How many hours a day did Jimmy Page practice scales?
Interesting stuff.
You can watch the feature on ABC News’ video player or YouTube.
