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Peak

Secrets from the New Science of Expertise

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Peak

By: Anders Ericsson, Robert Pool
Narrated by: Geoffrey Beevers
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About this listen

Mozart wasn’t born with perfect pitch.

Most athletes are not born with any natural advantage.

Three world-class chess players were sisters, whose success was planned by their parents before they were even born.

Anders Ericsson has spent thirty years studying The Special Ones, the geniuses, sports stars and musical prodigies. And his remarkable finding, revealed in Peak, is that their special abilities are acquired through training. The innate ‘gift’ of talent is a myth. Exceptional individuals are born with just one unique ability, shared by us all – the ability to develop our brains and bodies through our own efforts.

Anders Ericsson’s research was the inspiration for the popular ‘10,000-hour rule’ but, he tells us, this rule is only the beginning of the story. It’s not just the hours that are important but how you use them. We all have the seeds of excellence within us – it’s merely a question of how to make them grow. With a bit of guidance, you’ll be amazed at what the average person can achieve.

The astonishing stories in Peak prove that potential is what you make it.

 Memory Improvement Personal Development Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Stress Management Inspiring Chess Human Brain

Critic Reviews

Most “important” books aren’t much fun to read. Most fun books aren’t very important. But with Peak, Anders Ericsson (with great work from Robert Pool) has hit the daily double. After all, who among us doesn’t want to learn how to get better at life? A remarkable distillation of a remarkable lifetime of work (Stephen J. Dubner, bestselling author of FREAKONOMICS)
Offer[s] an optimistic anti-determinism that ought to influence how people educate children, manage employees and spend their time.
This book is a breakthrough, a lyrical, powerful, science-based narrative that actually shows us how to get better (much better) at the things we care about. (Seth Godin, author of LINCHPIN)
The science of excellence can be divided into two eras: before Ericsson and after Ericsson. His groundbreaking work, captured in this brilliantly useful book, provides us with a blueprint for achieving the most important and life-changing work a person can achieve: to become a little bit better each day. (Daniel Coyle, bestselling author of THE TALENT CODE)
Ericsson's research has revolutionized how we think about human achievement. He has found that what separates the best of us from the rest is not innate talent but simply the right kind of training and practice. If everyone would take the lessons of this book to heart, it could truly change the world. (Joshua Foer, bestselling author of MOONWALKING WITH EINSTEIN)
An invaluable exploration into the details of what makes the difference between simply going through the motions (for 10,000 hours!) and practising to reap significant improvement. A thought-provoking and extremely useful book. (Harriet Beveridge, author of WILL IT MAKE THE BOAT GO FASTER?)
His ultimate message is an uplifting, optimistic one and should be applauded. (Nick Rennison)
Invaluable. (David Didau)
The work of the academic psychologist Anders Ericsson has inspired half a dozen popular accounts of the relationship between talent and effort. This year, with the science writer Robert Pool, he produced a book of his own, Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise (Bodley Head), which may be the liveliest and clearest of the lot. (Leo Robson)
The clear style helps cast new light on a subject I thought I understood. I found his discussion of mental representations and the distinction between purposeful and deliberate practice especially illuminating
All stars
Most relevant
I really enjoyed the narrator, he made me feel like I was in The Galaxy's Guide to the Universe. I put him on 1.25x though.

first few chapters were explaining things, chapter 7 onwards is where the application stuff is at. I love learning about studies and concepts so I like this book a lot. However it is genuinely an entire book on deliberate practice.
this is a book I'll need to listen to twice to be able to fulling conceptualise the content.
over all, I really enjoyed it.

Title should be Deliberate Practice

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I've loved Ericsson's work for years. It's lovely to read a popularly accessible version of his research but authored by the actual researcher.

Great ideas, a must for anyone in Education.

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First few chapters weren't interesting for me but the rest of it was really fantastic.

Excellent advice and ideas

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Read it twice already! now to implement what I've learned! awesome and empowering. The new frontier of learning.

a must read for educators

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Powerful, must read for anyone aspiring to learn ANYTHING and parents and people struggling with hopelessness

EXCELLENT book

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This book put to the sword many of the myths that have held me back and allowed me not to try. It enabled me to start challenging myself to at 53 to start learning mandarin and write a book. Let's see what it helps u do. Listen to what Anders says and U too will believe in ur ability too revolutionize yourself and the world of those who surround you. Listen enjoy, practice and just watch what happens! 😳😊

Awesome, liberating, inspiring

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tremendously interesting. rich with insight and inspiration. im now searching for more on deliberate practice.

thoroughly engaging

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This is my second reading of Peak and it was just as inspiring. The final paragraphs excited me about humanity’s potential using the principles of deliberate practice combined with good old hard work. Also loved the clarity and style of the reader. Thank you. I’m sure I’m about to read it a third time in order to study it more closely.

Loved it.

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Learnt a lot from this book! Found it very motivational and inspiring, knowing that I can learn and improve any skill I choose is quite empowering

Very inspiring

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The listener will need to break through the early thresholds of the annoying over-articulated narration and the repetition of the content for the first 4 chapters. But stick with it and this book pays huge dividends.

Stick with it

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