Why are there so many elite marathon runners from Kenya, top female golf professionals from Kenya, elite sprinters from Jamaica, Brazilian football superstars, and the list goes on and on. This is basically what the 'gold mine effect' seeks to explain. Is it in their genes? Is it the environment? More importantly though, can it be replicated?
There are eight principles or concepts behind the "gold mines" but perhaps the most important one is that they are the result of hard work, intense belief and a no-turning-back attitude. While genes might bestow you with certain advantages, to reach the elite level, nurture plays a bigger role.
Another interesting aspect that the book talks about is, 'how to recognize talent'. There are basically two kinds of talent - the one that shouts and the one that whispers. An example of talent that shouts is Usain Bolt, who was winning the youth sprinting competitions left, right and center.
On the other hand, you have talent that whispers. I was surprised to learn that Ronaldo (O Fenomeno) had a hard time getting a club to sign him as a youth player when he was 15. Too skinny, they said. And all it would have cost them was his bus ticket to and from training.
Worth a special mention is the music teacher who had two of The Beatles in his class and didn't think they would amount to anything in music. We basically do a bad job of talent spotting because we expect talent to shout - we expect talent to look a certain way, talk a certain way, act a certain way. A lot of hidden talents remain hidden and are waiting to be discovered.
Another find in the gold mines was the presence of supportive/demanding parents. Think of Sharapova's dad, Lewis Hamilton's dad, Safin's mum, Andy Murray's mum and the list goes on. Should you push your child towards a sport / musical instrument or let them pursue their own interests?
The book argues that you learn to love what you do and especially what you do well. Looking back at my own childhood, my parents were very supportive in letting me pursue tennis, the piano, football (less so), but i wish they had made me stuck with them when i was going through a tough patch or lost interest. It's something i'll keep in mind with my own kids even though they're still far away from even picking up a hobby.
The author's conversational writing style makes it a quick and pleasant read. Whether you're a fan of sports or interested in 'talent management', there were a lot of interesting examples and takeaways, making it a worthwhile read.
