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Book

Bounce

Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success

Matthew Syed
Harper, 2010

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

A United Kingdom table tennis champion, Matthew Syed recognizes that he succeeded not because of innate talent, but rather due to the special circumstances of his youth. He was able to learn from expert, dedicated teachers and to practice all the time. Syed knows he was fortunate and, to his credit, he worked hard to become as good as he could be. He discusses the science that demonstrates the validity of the adage, “Practice makes perfect.” He explodes the “talent myth” by presenting scientific evidence that people who practice with enough diligence, patience and focused intensity can become great, regardless of the presence or absence of supposedly inborn ability. Syed covers numerous other fascinating topics, including racial stereotypes, the “placebo effect” and baseball players’ “good luck” rituals. Syed’s well-researched, enlightening book is a hymn to the power and efficacy of practice, dedication, determination and hard work.

Take-Aways

  • Excellent performance, even in sports or the arts, does not require talent. It requires years of “purposeful practice.”
  • Becoming an expert or champion requires working extremely hard and constantly pushing yourself during practice to attain new, out-of-reach targets.
  • Reaching this level requires 1,000 hours of intense, challenging practice annually. That works out to 10,000 hours – that is, at least 10 years – of concentrated practice. 

About the Author

Matthew Syed, a BBC commentator and The Times columnist, has won numerous British journalism awards. In table tennis, he is a two-time Olympian and a three-time Commonwealth champion.

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