Secret to greatness?

[johninla]

Cal Ripkin Sr. said, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

 

[odoreater]

I always thought the secret to greatness was getting as high a post count as possible.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by caelte

Hope I'm not removing too much context, Quirk.

I think what Buffet is suggesting is that some part of his success mechanism wasn't learned.

I've had a guitar for years and fight to gain proficiency and so far, haven't done very well.

I do metalwork but that's different altogether.
The next step to getting better at it, comes almost like an inner voice.
Not a literal voice, but more than just a "feeling".
Even at the beginning I knew what tools to use instinctively.

I've taught metalwork and design here and there over the years and find that part of the process very difficult to transfer.

I hear what you're saying about Buffet, I was pointing out that whatever he might know 'instinctively' (whatever that means), someone else may well be able to learn, given appropriate focus, will, patience, methodology, whatever.

Sometimes a small insight, a minor adjustment in technique or a slight shift in focus can provide the access to reaching an entirely new level of skill. For example, it's possible that you could find a new guitar teacher who's able to pinpoint one or two things your previous teachers overlooked, and in a year of diligent practice, you could end up being far more proficient than you would ever have imagined, given your current skill level and your history of progress thus far.

I'm very skeptical of the notion of 'instinct'. When I think about how effortlessly we absorb and assimilate something as complex and nuanced as language in our first few years of life (even children who are not particularly 'bright' or well-nurtured), it suggests to me that we may all be effortlessly aquiring all sorts of skills in our early years, skills that we later misattribute to "innate talent" or "instinct", simply because we are unable to connect them to specific deliberate learning experiences.

Maybe the unique experiences and environments of our early years provide us with the unconsious training that teaches us what tools work best to shape metals a particular way, or how to manipulate our voices to produce the most pleasant singing tones, etc...

Just a thought.

 

[LabelKing]

In keeping with the economic tone, hard work won't make you into John Keynes.

Take Willy from Death of a Salesman.

 

[Connemara]

The secret to greatness is Truth. No one's achieved it yet...Kant came close, though.

 

[faustian bargain]

here's the Woody Allen quote:

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

Woody Allen​

and here's a couple more clever ones:


There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way.

Christopher Morley​

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

Henry David Thoreau​

 

[caelte]

Originally Posted by Quirk

I hear what you're saying about Buffet, I was pointing out that whatever he might know 'instinctively' (whatever that means), someone else may well be able to learn, given appropriate focus, will, patience, methodology, whatever.

Sometimes a small insight, a minor adjustment in technique or a slight shift in focus can provide the access to reaching an entirely new level of skill. For example, it's possible that you could find a new guitar teacher who's able to pinpoint one or two things your previous teachers overlooked, and in a year of diligent practice, you could end up being far more proficient than you would ever have imagined, given your current skill level and your history of progress thus far.

I'm very skeptical of the notion of 'instinct'. When I think about how effortlessly we absorb and assimilate something as complex and nuanced as language in our first few years of life (even children who are not particularly 'bright' or well-nurtured), it suggests to me that we may all be effortlessly aquiring all sorts of skills in our early years, skills that we later misattribute to "innate talent" or "instinct", simply because we are unable to connect them to specific deliberate learning experiences.

Maybe the unique experiences and environments of our early years provide us with the unconsious training that teaches us what tools work best to shape metals a particular way, or how to manipulate our voices to produce the most pleasant singing tones, etc...

Just a thought.

It's an interesting thought. Picasso's father was a painter,etc,etc.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you may be right.
Perhaps, by creating insight, a good teacher could trigger the latent high skills that may be universal in all of us .

As adults we see language as ,"complex and nuanced."The child learns it instinctively. A child exposed to different languages may become a linguist later.

But your idea doesn't explain the proclivity an individual has towards a particular skill. Maybe that part is the intuitive aspect.

It also doesn't explain why some can run down that path to greatness when others only walk, even though they may try as hard.
But maybe, that's where randomness enters.

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

In keeping with the economic tone, hard work won't make you into John Keynes.

Take Willy from Death of a Salesman.

According to modern psychological thought, WIlly was simply in the wrong field.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by caelte

But your idea doesn't explain the proclivity an individual has towards a particular skill. Maybe that part is the intuitive aspect.


That may be. The relationship between inclination and ability is certainly an interesting one.