In 'Talent Is Overrated', Geoff Colvin challenges the conventional wisdom that exceptional performance is due to innate talent. Instead, he presents extensive scientific research showing that the key to great performance is 'deliberate practice' – a specific type of work that is designed to improve performance, often with a teacher’s help, and involves continuous feedback and mental demands. The book provides insights and real-world examples to help readers understand and apply these principles to achieve greater performance in their fields.
In 'Outliers: The Story of Success', Malcolm Gladwell examines the often-overlooked factors that contribute to high levels of success. He argues that success is not solely the result of individual talent or hard work, but rather is influenced by a complex web of advantages and inheritances, including cultural background, family, generation, and luck. The book delves into various examples, such as the success of Bill Gates, the Beatles, and Canadian ice hockey players, to illustrate how these factors play a crucial role. Gladwell also discusses the '10,000-hour rule' and the impact of cultural legacies on behavior and success. The book is divided into two parts: 'Opportunity' and 'Legacy', each exploring different aspects of how success is achieved and maintained.
In this episode, host Michael Palmer welcomes back Dr. Bror Saxberg, Founder of LearningForge, to continue their exploration of learning and its implications for the future. We dig into core concepts like working memory vs long-term memory, deliberate practice and the 10,000 hour rule, and what the latest research reveals about differences (and similarities) in learning rates. Dr. Saxberg emphasizes the brain's lifelong neuroplasticity and potential for acquiring new skills and knowledge.
The conversation then shifts to expertise more broadly, including how cognitive scientists study it and the decline in professional skill "half-lives." Bror and Michael discuss organizational training, creativity from combinatorial expertise, and the unique human capacity for shared meaning. We explore how improving learning environments and motivation, per a recent study, can help accelerate expertise development across all levels of learners. The episode wraps with optimism about human potential to gain new competencies and value, aided by learning science insights and emerging technology.
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Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer 
