By trying high-risk, high-reward careers early on, you get something of a free-roll-if you enjoy it, great- if not you still have plenty of time to find something else that fits you.Ī modern example of the battle between range and specialization that Epstein brings up is- improbably-chess. The other idea that resonated with me was the importance of “match quality.” By sampling a variety of potential vocations early, you’re more likely to find a career that suits your skills and interests. Most years you’ll look like a genius-until you don’t. Imagine a hypothetical investing strategy that was 95% to win a small amount each year with a 5% chance of blowing up spectacularly. “Wicked” learning environments, on the other hand, reinforce rules and habits that ultimately work against you. “Kind” learning environments reinforce important skills with practice-think chess or math. I especially liked his discussion of “kind” vs. How can you compete with someone who started training at age 3? David Epstein’s book argues the opposite-there are benefits to developing a variety of skills from different fields. This idea can be frustrating for people who weren’t given that kind of direction and started focusing their attention later. The authors make the case that the only way to succeed in a competitive field is to specialize early and commit to deliberate practice from an early age. I have seen a theme in several books I’ve been reading lately.
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