Ben-Coyle-Ch4

 

The fourth chapter of Coyle’s “The Talent Code” identifies the three rules of deep practice: 1. Chunk it up; 2. Repeat it; 3. Learn to feel it. Within the first rule there are sub-rules: 1a. Absorb the whole thing; 1b. Chunk it up; 1c. Slow it down. When the rules of deep practice are followed, talent is built quickly, so that, to an outside observer, the phenomenon known as the “Holt Shit Effect” (HSE) is realized—that is, an outside observer sees the talent being build at an alarming rate.

I find the principles in this chapter to be unsurprising and largely consistent with how effective practice is usually described, at least within the context of music. Commonly, when learning a piece, a musician will divide the piece into chunks, slowing down parts to perfect the details, and also viewing the piece as a whole. Repetition as the key to successful performance is a no-brainer for every musician (although within the discussion topic of building myelin, I suppose the term “no-brainer” has to be taken with a grain of salt). The rule of “learning to feel it” is possibly less familiar to musicians on the whole. With this rule, Coyle says, we recognize that deep practice is uncomfortable and we learn to embrace the feeling of taking baby steps. Deep practice, it seems, is a humbling experience.

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