摘要

Albert Einstein, Pele, Charlotte Bronte, and Michelangelo: How did they all get to be such dazzling geniuses? Where did their greatness come from? The answer lies within their brains, in myelin, a neural substance that turns out to be the holy grail of acquiring skill. Those who have mastered their craft have lots of myelin. And you can too. You just have to learn how to grow it. In this revolutionary book, "New York Times" bestselling journalist Daniel Coyle takes you on an illuminating journey across the globe to nine of the world's most prolific hotbeds of talent to reveal the key to unlocking human potential. From the baseball fields of the Caribbean to a classical music academy in upstate New York, Coyle is on the search for the clues that will answer some of the most intriguing questions about talent: Why is one impoverished Russian tennis club able to put out more Top 20 women players than the entire U.S.? How did all three Bronte sisters become literary all-stars? How does a group of inner-city charter schools manage to send 80 percent of its students to college? What enables a humble music school in a mall in Texas to produce a string of pop stars--including Jessica Simpson? The secret to acquiring skill, Coyle discovers, comes down to three elements: the right kinds of practice, coaching, and motivation. When these three elements converge and you learn how to operate at the edge of your abilities, you activate the neurological mechanism that promotes the growth of myelin, the microscopic nerve-fiber insulator that adds speed and accuracy to your movements and thoughts. Combining vivid examples with deft analysis, this book will not only change the way you view talent, but enable you to reach your own fullest potential.