The Talent Code, Chapter 1: The Sweet Spot

Chapter Summary:

In talent hotbeds, people perform at the edge of their ability.  This creates an environment that increases their learning velocity.  "Deep practice is built on a paradox: struggling in certain targeted ways -- operating at the edges of your ability, where you make mistakes -- makes you smarter."  The memory is a living structure, repetitive, thoughtless acts do not establish memory, but when "we generate impulses, encountering and overcoming difficulties, the more scaffolding we build.  The more scaffolding we build, the faster we learn."  This is what makes such high caliber Brazilian soccer players: they are constantly making mistakes, correcting them, and coming up with solutions to their problems. This is the sweet spot.

Key Concepts:

The sweet spot is where learning thrives.  Deep practice is a process of active tasks, not mindless repetition.
Key Terms:

Deep practice
The "sweet spot"

Making Connections:

I want to make sure that in my practice I'm not just going through the motions, or skipping over the hard parts.  I want to target those hard parts and make an effort to solve those problems.   Mistakes will happen and when they do, I will immediately start over with the phrase and try again, so I can focus on correcting that problem and finding solutions.