Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

by Adam M. Grant

Becoming a creature of discomfort can unlock hidden potential in many different types of learning. Summoning the nerve to face discomfort is a character skill—an especially important form of determination.

Sometimes you even learn better in the mode that makes you the most uncomfortable, because you have to work harder at it. This is the first form of courage: being brave enough to embrace discomfort

When we’re encouraged to make mistakes, we end up making fewer of them. Early mistakes help us remember the correct answer—and motivate us to keep learning.

make at least 200 mistakes a day. He measures his progress by the number of errors he makes.

Instead of seeking feedback, you’re better off asking for advice.

What’s the one thing I can do better?

When divers tell him they had a bad day, Eric likes to ask two questions: Did you make yourself better today? Did you make someone else better today? If the answer to either question is yes, it was a good day.

This is a good motto

The variety isn’t just motivating—it’s also better for learning. Hundreds of experiments show that people improve faster when they alternate between different skills.

It turns out that taking breaks has at least three benefits. First, time away from practice helps to sustain harmonious passion.

Second, breaks unlock fresh ideas.

Third, breaks deepen learning. In one experiment, taking a ten-minute break after learning something improved recall for students by 10 to 30 percent—and

The best teams have the most team players—people who excel at collaborating with others.

What really makes a difference is whether people recognize that they need one another to succeed on an important mission. That’s what enables them to bond around a common identity and stick together to achieve their collective goals.

brainwriting. The initial steps are solo. You start by asking everyone to generate ideas separately. Next, you pool them and share them anonymously among the group. To preserve independent judgment, each member evaluates them on their own. Only then does the team come together to select and refine the most promising options.

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people with bigger dreams go on to achieve greater things.