Try free for 30 days

  • The Talent Code

  • Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown.
  • By: Daniel Coyle
  • Narrated by: Alex McMorran
  • Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (161 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Talent Code cover art

The Talent Code

By: Daniel Coyle
Narrated by: Alex McMorran
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

In The Talent Code, award-winning journalist Daniel Coyle draws on cutting-edge research to reveal that, far from being some abstract mystical power fixed at birth, ability really can be created and nurtured.  

In the process, he considers talent at work in venues as diverse as a music school in Dallas and a tennis academy near Moscow to demonstrate how the wiring of our brains can be transformed by the way we approach particular tasks. 

He explains what is really going on when apparently unremarkable people suddenly make a major leap forward. He reveals why some teaching methods are so much more effective than others. Above all, he shows how all of us can achieve our full potential if we set about training our brains in the right way.

©2010 Daniel Coyle (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about The Talent Code

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    131
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    106
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    105
  • 4 Stars
    19
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This is the best book on Skill and Talent!!

Omg I'm soo glad I found this book!!! it explains the whole concept of Myelin sooo well!! I'd been so hoping to find a book that did and this is It! You've got to read this to know how to get deep practice to build any skill!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book and stories

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and enjoyed the story telling examples.
There were several names I’ve never heard of but since discovered.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must for anyone wanting the learn or teach skills.

Wish that the teacher I had growing up had read this book. Really motivating me to continue to learn and help others learn. I have suggest this book to multiple people if anything I think it should inspire everyone to get in and give anything your interested in a good go, and fail a lot! Recognised mistakes really are what make use better.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

The simple articulate explanations will help
the geniuses sleeping within all of us.
I am glad I read this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

life changing book

loved it
very good information
If I had read this book when I was a teenager I would have achieved a lot more in life

I must read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love this!

Such a great book. I learnt so much about the importance of myelin. I feel like I’m going to be a much better teacher, parent and life long learner as a result of listening to this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Definite Read

I am very interested in being a better me just because the more skilled I am the more fun I have, the more grateful and optimistic I become. This was an excellent well researched HOW. Cheers to Daniel Coyle

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

incredibly interesting

this is such a great book with such interesting content delivered in a way that makes learning science easy to understand.

the potential uses are awesome and had me think about applications for my work and as a new parent.

I thoroughly enjoyed ever chapter of the book and will probably re-read a couple of times for deep practice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So interesting and inspiring

What a great book. So many nuggets in there for teachers, coaches and anyone trying to learn a skill. I look forward to trying out Daniel Coyle's other titles

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty Good !

Talks about the neural networks of the brain and breaks down what learning is.

Doesn't include modern ' how to's ' but sort of does indirectly.

Loved all the case studies on how and why people learned faster.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Angie
  • Angie
  • 16-04-2019

Lots of Great, Valuable Insights!

Love the insights and back up stories. Every teacher, coach and trainer should read it! I got both the books and the audio version and I just love them all. I am going to review them often and put all the insights into practice. Thank you, Daniel, for all your help and efforts!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Fabian C. Fernander
  • Fabian C. Fernander
  • 07-01-2019

Chocked full of insight

This book is chocked full of insight so listen closely. And if you need a real world analogy to believe it’s truth listen to the few minutes he describes the football player jemarcus and then go Wikipedia his career.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for LC
  • LC
  • 17-05-2020

Mostly pointless

Most of the book can be summed up in three words "practice makes perfect", which isn't anything new, although it is presented as if this is some kind of amazing and unexpected breakthrough.
The author keeps on talking about myelin as if that gives some extra insight or breakthrough, but nothing of the kind is offered as insight except what we already know, i.e. "practice makes perfect". All that happens is that the author has just substituted the word "myelin", i.e. "practice makes myelin". All pretty pointless!
However, there are plenty of real-life examples of successful and unsuccessful learning, teaching and coaching, which are always interesting and useful to listen to and learn from. These can be good for inspiration too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Youl George
  • Youl George
  • 15-08-2020

A Good Addition

The book is more about the way you learn rather than how to become better at it.. If the subject of becoming a better learner or looking to enhance your skills at learning this book will not give you what you want.. But, saying that if you are on a journey of self development in this area it is a very good addition to understanding the processes that go into your own learning abilities.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Tfd
  • Tfd
  • 30-12-2018

Great Insight and makes a lot of sense

This book explained a lot of the things that I have seen and experienced. It also gave me ideas about how to sharpen my own talents and how to do the same in others.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr John
  • Mr John
  • 17-02-2021

Good book and worth a listen

Useful audio book on the topic of talent. Considers the need for deep practice and how talent is learned.

I gave this 4 stars as while it gives lots of example of learning in different context it does not sufficiently summarise the key points or lessons for this for other purposes. There is a good section at the end on education and it is excellent to raise the challenge about how we teach children.

The narration is excellent and kept the listener engaged throughout.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Steve
  • Steve
  • 07-11-2023

Very average

Just a whole lot of talking and not much to learn from it. Found it really hard going!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Damith Bandara
  • Damith Bandara
  • 01-11-2023

Best book I’ve read on coaching

A fatalistic expose on talent and how it can be ignited in individuals. How to train children and adults alike. I’ve taken so much from this book. A must read!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for MRS JOANNE L LEWSLEY
  • MRS JOANNE L LEWSLEY
  • 25-07-2022

Great read

brilliant and thought provoking on promoting mistakes and learning from them.

purposeful practice and what it takes to really be a master of your own mind

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mark
  • Mark
  • 03-05-2022

If only I'd known this years ago...

Very interesting insight into the acquisition of skills. Great guidance for any coach or teacher. Includes the critical elements to encourage a thirst for more and better skills.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Petar Kotsev
  • Petar Kotsev
  • 01-02-2022

Insightful book

Amazing book. If you are interested in learning and mastering any skill, this book is mandatory!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for N Mehta
  • N Mehta
  • 15-01-2022

Excellent book - Strongly recommend

I truly enjoyed this book. Absolutely brilliant book.

I am very surprised to know the some of the facts. Very good examples and well explained.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.