The Talent Code - Free the Statue

Apply key lessons from "The Talent Code," by Daniel Coyle. Use the stepwise process of chunking, repetition, and recognition. You cannot cheat greatness. 

Deep practice demands total focus. That's a big challenge for adolescents. Remember that mindfulness or 'mindful meditation' increases focus.

Chunking breaks down a process into steps. Consider serving. Players have a pre-shot routine, coordinated footwork and toss, and then their swing. Think of 'chunking' on the chessboard or Scrabble. Excellent players see the board in 'chunks' which triggers thought. Imagine a Scrabble board with D-E-S-A-I-O-T. At first glance, think, "a whole lot of nothing." But big words come from smaller ones. Could a word have I-E-D at the end or be a plural. What's a small word there? TOAD. Aha! Toadies... 

Repetition recalls the John Wooden acronym EDIRx5. Explanation, demonstration, imitation, and repetition times five. 

• Explanation- make it clear. 
• Demonstration - experience, "this is how do it"
• Imitation - your initial attempts
• Repetitions - "Repetitions make reputations" there is no shortcut to excellence. 

Recognition comes from investing time in deep practice. Skill takes time. Coach Wooden said of Bill Walton that "he never tired of doing the hard work of fundamentals." Deep practice converts untrained movements into "automatic" ones as the pin hitter gets a runway from behind the 10-foot line and the middle blocker reads and reacts to close the double block.  

Lagniappe. A great summary of "The Talent Code." Learn about flight training simulation, music mastery, futsal and more. Multiple players in the system have potential greatness within them. Michelangelo observed a block of marble and noted that it was his job to free the statue within.