The Talent Code

Success is not born of wishes, hopes, and dreams but of process, preparation, and work. 

Daniel Coyle wrote a remarkable book The Talent Code where he explored unifying themes in hotbeds of excellence - music camps, Brazilian soccer, outlier successful school turnarounds, a Russian Tennis camp, and more. 

For example, at the Spartak Tennis Club, the coaches emphasize "tekhnika" (technique) versus competition for the first THREE years of training. They understood that fundamentals are everything, that form precedes function. Over a three year period, the club produced more season-ending top 20 women's players than the entire United States did. 

Competition to be trained at Spartak is fierce. This is hardly surprising, because one attraction of sports is meritocracy. Successful players, coaches, and teams get ahead because of great process (performance-focused, feedback rich to quote Thomas Crane in The Heart of Coaching). We measure success by the quality of the activity, and advance players because of demonstrated skill, not through passion, seniority, or politics. 

We grow our skill incrementally, via a concept called neuroplasticity. Even into old age, we can remodel our brain structure and function. Specific diet, exercise, sleep, and mental training outlined in The Winner's Brain are proven to enhance what I call "neuronal memory" as muscles have no memory. 

In basketball, successful coaches utilize great process. Basketball Hall of Fame lifetime achievement winner Don Meyer keeps three notebooks, one for basketball, one for general information, and one for gratitude to his wife.
 
Outstanding coaches generally have detailed day by day practice schedules with specifics for the entire season. They understand that a lesson taught is not taught until it is learned. Great coaches use the '5 x 7' index cards to outline practice schedules, deliver messages, and emphasis. The best coaches keep a "drill book" as well as a book of contacts with whom they can share resources and exchange ideas. 

In Switch: How to Change Things When Changes is Hard, the Heath brothers outline their process to effect change - the ability to use Reason, Emotion, and Path. We need to be able to point specifics to the future, build positive habits, grow our players, and rally the herd. But none of us can change the world until we are able to change ourselves. We control our ATTITUDE, CHOICES, and EFFORT. 

Pascal used to say that the present is the most neglected time. We reminisce about the past and dream about the future. Whether changing ourselves, our family, our business, our community, or our team...the future is now.