W.I.N. Newsletter Special - Book Recommendations
Published: Wed, 07/07/10
reading collection:
The Element By Ken Robinson
From one of the world's leading thinkers and speakers on creativity
and self-fulfillment, a breakthrough book about talent, passion,
and achievement.
The element is the point at which natural talent meets personal
passion. When people arrive at the element, they feel most
themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels.
"The Element" draws on the stories of a wide range of people, from
ex-Beatle Paul McCartney to Matt Groening, creator of "The
Simpsons"; from Meg Ryan to Gillian Lynne, who choreographed the
Broadway productions of "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera"; and
from writer Arianna Huffington to renowned physicist Richard
Feynman and others, including business leaders and athletes. It
explores the components of this new paradigm: The diversity of
intelligence, the power of imagination and creativity, and the
importance of commitment to our own capabilities.
With a wry sense of humor, Ken Robinson looks at the conditions
that enable us to find ourselves in the element and those that
stifle that possibility. He shows that age and occupation are no
barrier, and that once we have found our path we can help others to
do so as well. "The Element" shows the vital need to enhance
creativity and innovation by thinking differently about human
resources and imagination. It is also an essential strategy for
transforming education, business, and communities to meet the
challenges of living and succeeding in the twenty-first century.
The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How
By Daniel Coyle
What is the secret of talent? How do we unlock it? In this
groundbreaking work, journalist and New York Times bestselling
author Daniel Coyle provides parents, teachers, coaches,
businesspeople-and everyone else-with tools they can use to
maximize potential in themselves and others.
Whether you're coaching soccer or teaching a child to play the
piano, writing a novel or trying to improve your golf swing, this
revolutionary book shows you how to grow talent by tapping into a
newly discovered brain mechanism.
Drawing on cutting-edge neurology and firsthand research gathered
on journeys to nine of the world's talent hotbeds-from the baseball
fields of the Caribbean to a classical-music academy in upstate New
York-Coyle identifies the three key elements that will allow you to
develop your gifts and optimize your performance in sports, art,
music, math, or just about anything.
- Deep Practice Everyone knows that practice is a key to success.
What everyone doesn't know is that specific kinds of practice can
increase skill up to ten times faster than conventional practice.
- Ignition We all need a little motivation to get started. But what
separates truly high achievers from the rest of the pack? A higher
level of commitment-call it passion-born out of our deepest
unconscious desires and triggered by certain primal cues.
Understanding how these signals work can help you ignite passion
and catalyze skill development.
- Master Coaching What are the secrets of the world's most
effective teachers, trainers, and coaches? Discover the four
virtues that enable these "talent whisperers" to fuel passion,
inspire deep practice, and bring out the best in their students.
These three elements work together within your brain to form
myelin, a microscopic neural substance that adds vast amounts of
speed and accuracy to your movements and thoughts. Scientists have
discovered that myelin might just be the holy grail: the foundation
of all forms of greatness, from Michelangelo's to Michael Jordan's.
The good news about myelin is that it isn't fixed at birth; to the
contrary, it grows, and like anything that grows, it can be
cultivated and nourished.
Combining revelatory analysis with illuminating examples of regular
people who have achieved greatness, this book will not only change
the way you think about talent, but equip you to reach your own
highest potential.
Both books are available in print and Kindle versions. Enjoy.
Take care.
Brian Willis
CEO (Chief Excellence Officer), Winning Mind Training Inc.
www.winningmindtraining.com
Brian's Thoughts, Ideas and Insights on Excellence in Training
www.excellenceintraining.typepad.com
Be sure to check out the great titles at Warrior Spirit Books
www.warriorspiritbooks.com