Chapter 1+2 Summaries

Chapter One: The Sweet Spot
Chapter Summary
     While the introduction begins to tell of a scientific basis for developing skill/talent, Chapter One moves us into the practical aspect of the theory. In a variety of studied skills, including aviation and soccer, key aspects of the skill were broken down and intensively practiced in such a way that engages the mind in an error-focused practice in order to correct the mistake and solidify the myelin lining regarding that skill. This is referred to throughout the chapter as "deep practice." It proves highly effective, and in some cases, life-saving.
Key Concepts
     When errors are targeted and corrected in effective (deep) practice, a skill makes remarkable improvement.
     A mistake, when recognized constructively, is simply a passage to improvement.
Key Terms
     Deep Practice
Making Connections
     In my individual practice, allowing myself to carry on with mistakes is just hard-wiring that mistake into my brain. It will only get worse.
     I should be very conscious of mistakes and think of the mistake's root cause, fixing that before I move on.


Chapter Two: The Deep Practice Cell
Chapter Summary
     Here the author delves further into the neurology of practice, specifically myelination. Every time an action is performed, the neuron fires an impulse across the synapse, and myelin is pushed out to wrap around that nerve. As myelin builds and covers these junctions, they act not only as insulators, and facilitators as well. With the development of enough myelin, the impulse to perform an action can travel up to one hundred times faster. This accumulation accelerates every time the action is performed. When used to develop a skill, the skill is learned much more quickly, and more permanently. Every time that skill is used, it is reaffirmed by more myelin.
Key Concepts
     Myelin is the actor that takes an action to a skill through consistent, targeted practice.
     Myelin accumulates and solidifies skills best at younger ages, and doesn't deteriorate except with age and disease.
Key terms
     Neuron
     Synapse
     Myelinazation
Making Connections
     As stated in the chapter, an impulse must be fired. Simple as it seems, I must practice, and the more consistent and thoughtful that practice is, the faster my myelin will be able to convert that practice into a long-term skill.=