Book Review The Talent Code by Coyle on Amazon: This book was a surprise. Somehow I expected something about how to spot talent, hire talent, or use talent for corporate success. What I got was a great book on learning and brain development. This well written and well researched book discusses the power of deep practice on the Myelin coating in the brain. Myelin is the insulating sheath surrounding nerve enabling them to conduct impulses between the brain and other parts of the body. The electrical current must travel without being corrupted, scrambled, diverted from the proper path, or leaking energy. Therefore, myelin is like the layer of plastic insulation surrounding an interior wire, which is the nerve.
Myelin increases when we engage in deep practice. Much like Gladwell discusses in Outliers, success comes after thousands of hours of good correct practice. This intense practice occurs when we are in a zone of focus, repeating correct actions over and over again, stopping and correcting mistakes, and repeating correct actions again. This grows and thickens that myelin over the nerves allowing for faster more accurate responses.
Before we can practice we need motivation, which he calls ignition. He also discusses why some motivation sticks and some does not using examples from a variety of sports and educational settings. This is not the world of pep-talks, but of inspiration that comes from the HSE…the Holy Shit Effect. We suddenly see someone just like us who won a golf tournament and realize that maybe we could play golf well. Coyle give numerous examples that support the HSE.
Finally Coyle points out the importance of good coaching. He reports on many studies on coaching and teaching that change our notions of the “sage on the stage” and encourage us to be a “guide on the side” to be effective. He found that short, precise and intense feedback is more effective than lectures. He uses examples from education citing the KIPP and KEEP projects, as well as more sports.
This is a great book. I was inspired to return to my piano and work on my novel. The more I practice the more myelin I grow and the better I get. Intense focused practice in the sweet zone is the secret. See perfection, measure my distance from it, reach, repeat.
Great book for educators and coaches, or anyone interested in brain research or cognitive psychology. Great book to get anyone motivated to try harder!

Book Review of Trade-offs by Maney. Read it on Amazon
Is there a magic formula for success? This author suggests that successful products and companies know that they must choose between Fidelity and Convenience. Fidelity refers to outstanding quality that might be difficult to obtain, but is worth the effort. Convenience is, well, just what it sounds like, easy to obtain or less expensive. Harvard is fidelity, University of Phoenix is convenient. One is not better than the other, they just fill different niches.
There are two difficult areas on the scale between fidelity and convenience. The first is the fidelity belly, where most companies and technology start. The Kindle is in the belly right now. It is cool to use, but still expensive and not very convenient. Either the technology will improve or the price will come down for the kindle to become more convenient.
The second dangerous area is the mirage that a company can be both high fidelity and highly convenient. Starbucks tried this and has diluted their brand. At first Starbucks was high fidelity, a Starbucks cup meant that you had been somewhere special. Then something changed, Starbucks appeared on every corner and became convenient. They lost their aura of fidelity. Aiming for the fidelity mirage they ended up in the fidelity belly. Success is usually obtained if products of companies possess Super fidelity or Super convenience, they cannot have both.
This formula might be simplified, but it does make a great deal of sense. Target is convenient, Nordstums has fidelity. Both are successful, but for different reasons. Companies that try to be both usually fail. Imagine if the University of Phoenix tried to become the Harvard of the west, or if Harvard had extension campuses in every state. Neither concept would work. The best advice is to pick one and do it well.
This book is an enjoyable read with solid examples and advice. I recommend it to anyone running a company, non-profit or institution, or developing a product. It is also a good read for anyone interested in marketing or cognitive psychology.