** spoiler alert ** This is a worthwhile read, but it does seem a bit like a magazine article that got expanded. IE, the core findings could be summarized much more neatly. It's a well-written book, though, that convincingly argues that the key to high achievement is not genetic talent, as near as researchers can tell, nor is it simply longevity/experience. Rather, it is deliberate practice, doing boring things over and over again in pursuit of excellence. What is most difficult to grasp, and yet remarkably well demonstrated, is that this is true not only of business, or sports, but the most creative endeavors in the arts. You may have imagined that Mozart or Picasso simply had a special flame and it emerged quickly. It took about a decade of incredibly intense effort, in both cases, even though they were quite young when they began to change their disciplines.
Where does the ability to focus on the same task, over and over, come from? That is a question that the book cannot answer, although it explores it.
A long section on team work in the business world is rather dry, and could have been left out.
Overall, I'm glad I read it.