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

Why are certain people so incredibly great at what they do? Most of us think we know the answer-but were almost always wrong. That's important, because if we're wrong on this crucial question, then we have zero chance of getting significantly better at anything we care about.Happily, the real source of great performance is no longer a mystery. Bringing togethery extensive scientific research, bestselling author Geoff Colvin shows where we go wrong and what actually makes world-class perforers so remarkable. It isn't specific, innate talents, nor is it plain old hard work. It's a very specific type of work that anyone can do---but most people don't.What's more, the principles of great performance apply to virtually any activity that matters to you. Today this book is being used widely around the world by businesspeople, investors, parents, students, athletes and musicians at every level, and by many others who want to get better at whatever they're passionate about.Readers everywhere have been inspired by this book's liberating message: You don't need a one-in-a-million natural gift. Better performance, and maybe even world-class performance, is closer than you think.
"A provocative title for a fascinating book."-Charlie Rose Asked to explain why a few people truly excel, most of us offer one of two answers. The first is hard work. Yet we all know plenty of hard workers who have been doing the same job for years or decades without becoming great. The other possibility is that the elite possess an innate talent for excelling in their field. We assume that Mozart was born with an astounding gift for music, and Warren Buffett carries a gene for brilliant investing. The trouble is, scientific evidence doesn't support the notion that specific natural talents make great performers. According to distinguished journalist Geoff Colvin, both the hard work and natural talent camps are wrong. What really makes all the difference is a highly specific kind of effort-"deliberate practice"- that few of us pursue when we're practicing golf or piano or stockpicking. Based on a wide array of scientific research, Talent Is Overrated shares the secrets of extraordinary performance and shows how to apply these principles. It features the stories of extraordinary people who never stopped challenging themselves and who achieved world- class greatness through deliberate practice- including Benjamin Franklin, comedian Chris Rock, football star Jerry Rice, and top CEOs Jeffrey Immelt and Steven Ballmer.