Bounce
by Matthew Syed
A former table-tennis champion argues that talent is a myth: his own success came from a street of table-tennis players, a great coach and ten thousand hours, and he reviews the science of deliberate practice, the growth mindset, choking and the placebo effect of belief. It is lively and partly superseded by Range's counterargument; read both.
Read it if…
you want the practice-over-talent case told by an athlete who lived it.
Skip it if…
you have read Peak and Mindset; the ground is covered.
Three things you will actually use
- Opportunity and practice explain most 'talent'.
- Purposeful practice targets weaknesses.
- Belief affects performance; manage it.
Do this first
Identify the specific, uncomfortable part of your skill you avoid practicing, and practice it.
Our verdict
Lively and persuasive, with caveats.
Compare with other Motivation books
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