How-To Practice • "Myelin" Flashcards
Much of the new research about talent and skill development revolves around the brain, specifically a substance called "Myelin".
What is a key vector in The New Science Of Talent Development?
“Much of the new research about talent revolves around the brain, specifically a substance called myelin.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What is “Myelin”?
“Myelin is an insulator (you might recall the term “myelin sheath” from biology class). This refers to its function of wrapping the wires of our brain in exactly the same way that electrical tape wraps around an electrical wire: It makes the signal move faster and prevents it from leaking out.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
How was myelin’s role in learning underestimated in the past?
“For the past hundred years or so, scientists considered myelin and its associated cells to be inert. After all, it looked like insulation, and it didn’t appear to react to anything. Except the early scientists were wrong. It turns out that myelin does react—it grows in response to electrical activity, i.e., practice.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
How does myelin work and grow?
“In fact, studies show that myelin grows in proportion to the hours spent in practice. It’s a simple system, and can be thought of this way: Every time you perform a rep, your brain adds another layer of myelin to those particular wires. The more you practice, the more layers of myelin you earn, the more quickly and accurately the signal travels, and the more skill you acquire.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What does it mean to “Myelinate That Wire”
“What do good athletes do when they train?” asks Dr. George Bartzokis, a professor of neurology at UCLA. “They send precise impulses along wires that give the signal to myelinate that wire. They end up, after all the training, with a super-duper wire—lots of bandwidth, a high-speed T-3 line. That’s what makes them different than the rest of us.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What is vital to “Grow Myelin”?
“Action is vital. Myelin doesn’t grow when you think about practicing. It grows when you actually practice—when you send electricity through your wires.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What is the “good-news bad-news paradox” with Myelin?
“Myelin wraps—it doesn’t unwrap. Like a highway paving machine, myelination happens in one direction. Once a skill circuit is insulated, you can’t un-insulate it. This is why habits are tough to break. Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect. Ignore the bad habit and put your energy toward building a new habit that will override the old one.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What happens as we age? Does Myelin production stop with “old-age”?
“You can add myelin throughout life. It arrives in a series of waves throughout childhood, creating critical learning periods. The net amount of myelin peaks around age fifty, but the myelin machinery keeps functioning into old age, which is why we can keep learning new things no matter what our age.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What stimulates Myelin growth?
“Studies have linked practice to myelin growth and improved performance in such diverse skills as music, sports, reading, and vocabulary.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What does practice make?
“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What is central to understanding why and how skills and talent develop?
In Daniel Coyle’s “The Little Book of Talent,” the concept of myelin is central to understanding why and how skills and talent develop, as it’s the insulation that forms around nerve fibers, enabling faster and more efficient neural communication.
What is at the foundation of skill building?
Myelin is at the foundation of skill building: Coyle’s work in “The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills” posits that the key to developing talent isn’t just genetics or innate ability, but rather the building up of myelin through consistent and focused practice.
What does practice make?
Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect: The more you practice a skill, the more myelin forms, leading to stronger neural pathways and better performance.
What is key to skill development in addition to Myelin growth and development.?
Beyond Practice: Ignition and Master Coaching: While practice is crucial for myelin formation, Coyle also highlights the importance of “ignition” (the initial motivation and spark) and “master coaching” (guidance from experienced individuals) in developing talent.
How to deal with myelin and pre-existing bad habits?
“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect. Ignore the bad habit and put your energy toward building a new habit that will override the old one.” ~ Daniel Coyle, “The Little Book of Talent: The New Science of Talent Development”
What is the role of myelin in learning a skill like guitar?
Practice is like layering armor on a warrior—every repetition wraps another layer of myelin around your neural pathways, making the signals travel faster and more efficiently. Without myelin, your skill circuits are like unarmored knights in battle—slow and vulnerable.
Why do physical practice, action observation (AO), and motor imagery (MI), matter more than mental practice for building myelin and skills?
Training is like carving a riverbed. The water (your skill signal) doesn’t flow just by imagining it—it needs physical motion to carve deep paths in the neural landscape. Thinking about practicing doesn’t build myelin; action, action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) do.
AO + MI (or AOMI): By combining AO and MI, individuals can watch someone else perform a movement while simultaneously imagining themselves performing the same movement, which studies show can enhance performance and motor skill learning.
How does slow practice enhance myelin growth?
Slow practice is like a sculptor chiseling marble. By moving deliberately, each stroke refines the detail, ensuring every neural pathway is wrapped in thick, smooth myelin. If you rush, the sculpture is jagged and incomplete.
What happens to myelin formation when you repeat an action over and over?
Repetition is like forging a sword. Every strike of the hammer strengthens the blade, just as every rep strengthens your skill circuits. More myelin equals a sharper, faster, more resilient ability.
How can playing a song backward improve myelin formation and skills?
It’s like hiking a trail in reverse. By working a song from end to beginning, you challenge your brain to build myelin in unexpected places, reinforcing the entire neural pathway.
How does breaking a song into chunks generate more myelin and accelerate learning?
Chunking is like building a house brick by brick. Each section is a sturdy foundation, and when assembled, the structure is rock-solid. Practicing in small segments ensures each part is reinforced with thick myelin.
Why does deep focus amplify myelin growth?
Focused practice is like using a laser instead of a flashlight. A scattered beam weakens the effect, but a laser burns through obstacles—just as deep, deliberate practice supercharges myelin production.
How does error correction impact myelin growth?
Mistakes are like potholes in a road. If left unfixed, they slow your journey. Correcting them immediately ensures the neural pathways remain smooth and efficient.
Why does playing with your eyes closed strengthen myelin?
It’s like navigating by touch instead of sight. Your brain compensates by heightening other senses, forcing deeper myelination of essential pathways.
