The science of achieving greater things.
Structure:
Skills of character.
Structures for motivation.
Systems of opportunity.
Everyone has hidden potential that can be unlocked.
Most experts were not child prodigies.
Motivation is key and comes from making learning fun.
Potential is not a matter of where you start, but how far you travel.
Skills of Character -> ability to prioritize your values over instinct.
Proactive: taking initiative
Prosocial: getting along and collaborating with peers.
Discipline
Determination
Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Listening to books is more fun but reading improves comprehension and recall.
Early mistakes help us remember the correct answer and provide motivation.
Growth is less about how hard you work than how well you learn.
Proactively seek info and use it to fuel growth = sponge.
Coaches see potential and help you become a better version of yourself.
Actively seek advice from people who 1) know you well, 2) care about you, and 3) have relevant expertise.
Perfectionism is bad because…
You obsess about details that don’t matter.
You avoid challenges that might lead to failure (and growth).
You beat yourself up for making mistakes, which humbles learning.
Structures for Motivation -> Temporary Scaffolding
Scaffolding builds resistance to overcome obstacles that threaten to overwhelm us and limit our growth.
Scaffolding:
Comes from others (ex. coach, mentor, peer).
Tailored to obstacles in your path.
Comes at a pivotal point in time.
Temporary.
Transform daily grind into daily jog/play. Avoid “boreout.”
Create deliberate play (pg 91); different from “gamification”.
Alternate between different skills. Compete against yourself.
Breaks are critical because they…
Sustain passion.
Unlock fresh ideas.
Deepen learning.
Ruts and plateaus: indicator to try a new route.
Deterioration often precedes next improvement.
Start going in the right direction (compass not map).
Find a guide. Experts are often the worst guides. (Importance of multiple mentors).
Hard to remember; different strengths.
Hobbies/diversions can be a source of energy.
Most important: feeling a sense of progress.
View barriers as challenges, not threats.
Teaching is a great way to learn. Teams coach each other.
The power of setting high expectations. Find credible supporters.
Focus on making your kids proud, not your parents.
Systems of Opportunity
Example of Finland’s approach to individual teaching.
“We can’t afford to waste a brain.”
Teach that learning is fun.
Give people the freedom to explore their interests.
Example of Chilean mine rescue.
Best teams unearth and use the best thinking from everyone.
Collective intelligence depends of prosocial skills.
Promote people who can put the team's cohesion above personal glory, who know the goal is to make the entire team smarter.
Brain writing (in advance) over brainstorming. (pg 188).
Submit anonymously then filter as a group.
Hire people who are skilled at learning.
Disclaimer: These are notes I created from reading the book. This is not completely comprehensive and may include errors and typos. No guarantee is provided as to the accuracy of the information. It is provided for educational purposes only.