smitmachhi's review against another edition
2.0
If you've never read Books like Power of Habits, Atomic Habits, etc., Then I'd say you might like this book but just go ahead and read those two books instead of this. The main reason I didn't like this book is that it's just theory, theory, and theory. It was like reading a textbook on a subject you really hate but I actually like this subject (habits, human performance, practice, etc.) which means this book was really bad.
I don't want to be too harsh, it got few sections that were kinda interesting but I think the writers have done a very poor job at getting to the point, they spent way too much time on the same studies and concepts and it just got too repetive after few pages. I was really excited to read this book when I started it but it had nothing new that I hadn't read or knew already before (except for few studies).
I don't want to be too harsh, it got few sections that were kinda interesting but I think the writers have done a very poor job at getting to the point, they spent way too much time on the same studies and concepts and it just got too repetive after few pages. I was really excited to read this book when I started it but it had nothing new that I hadn't read or knew already before (except for few studies).
statman's review against another edition
4.0
If you have ever heard of Malcolm Gladwell's rule of 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert, this book predates it and is the source for Gladwell. While the rule isn't completely accurate, what is clear from the research of Ericsson is that it does take a lot of practice to get really good at something. But it is more that, it is about the way you practice, the delibrate practice with a focus on specific skills and techniques that are honed.
thebradking's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a sucker for science, but I'm always a little bit wary of books that proport to explain deeply complex subjects in simple terms. My years working at Wired and MIT's Technology Review taught that answers are rarely so simple.
Still, I was cautiously excited to read [author:K. Anders Ericsson|101817]'s [book:Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise|26312997]. There's a good chance that you've heard of Ericsson, a cognitive psychologist at Florida State University, or at least his work. [author:Malcolm Gladwell|1439] used it as the basis for his 10,000 hour rule, which says that it takes roughly that long to become an expert in something. (If you're like me, you'll enjoy Ericsson's correction of Gladwell's interpretation of his work.)
I'll say this of the book: Ericsson does a masterful job of both explaining what we know about how we achieve success and explaining the conditions under which those forces do (and don't) work. Spoiler: 10,000 hours doesn't get you there. In fact, 10,000 hours isn't even really a thing.
This isn't to say that extended practice isn't important. It is. But that's only one small piece (and there's no quantifying exactly how much is enough). Another small piece is the concept of deliberate practice, which involves -- among other things -- repetition dedicated to working out small problems, immediate feedback from experts/coaches, and models for success that can be used in the problem solving process.
Of course, I can't summarize the entire book's premise here. (This is always the problem with writing about science.) What I can tell you is this: If you're interested in understanding, and applying, the concept of perfect practice in order to become better at anything, I can't recommend this book enough.
Still, I was cautiously excited to read [author:K. Anders Ericsson|101817]'s [book:Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise|26312997]. There's a good chance that you've heard of Ericsson, a cognitive psychologist at Florida State University, or at least his work. [author:Malcolm Gladwell|1439] used it as the basis for his 10,000 hour rule, which says that it takes roughly that long to become an expert in something. (If you're like me, you'll enjoy Ericsson's correction of Gladwell's interpretation of his work.)
I'll say this of the book: Ericsson does a masterful job of both explaining what we know about how we achieve success and explaining the conditions under which those forces do (and don't) work. Spoiler: 10,000 hours doesn't get you there. In fact, 10,000 hours isn't even really a thing.
This isn't to say that extended practice isn't important. It is. But that's only one small piece (and there's no quantifying exactly how much is enough). Another small piece is the concept of deliberate practice, which involves -- among other things -- repetition dedicated to working out small problems, immediate feedback from experts/coaches, and models for success that can be used in the problem solving process.
Of course, I can't summarize the entire book's premise here. (This is always the problem with writing about science.) What I can tell you is this: If you're interested in understanding, and applying, the concept of perfect practice in order to become better at anything, I can't recommend this book enough.
nmartinovic's review against another edition
3.0
This was a relatively good book, though it was tough for me power through it. However, I will do my best to use the methods described in this book to get better in my field.
shikogo's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
This book is changing how I approach learning anything. It is an understandable snapshot of our scientific understanding of skill acquisition. Exactly what I was looking for!
treyhunner's review against another edition
5.0
I highly recommend this book for teachers, trainers, mentors, and life-long learners. After I finish Make it Stick (which also mentions Ericsson's work), I'll need to review Peak and apply the principles of deliberate practice to my Python teaching methods.
cloudtet's review against another edition
4.0
Peak is an exploration of deliberate practice, detailing, amongst other things, its real-world application, what sets it apart from other types of practice, and what allegedly makes it the best.
Deliberate practice is a type of practice designed to maximise improvement in performance, while minimising the required effort. With that in mind, it is something that could be of interest to everyone.
Peak is thankfully also very accessible, using relatively colloquial vocabulary, and includes an abundance of anecdotes and stories, making it a very comfortable read. The anecdotes and stories are perhaps even too many, however, making the book a fair bit longer than it needs to be, and muddling its structure. (I personally enjoy reading these kinds of stories and anecdotes, however, so I didn't mind this much.) It also takes a fairly long time before it gets to the part about deliberate practice and what it is.
Another criticism that I have seen is that Peak doesn't cover genetics to any large extent, which is a very valid criticism to make, but it seems to me that the book is intended for the average person, not elite athletes wanting to become the best in the world, and so I still believe there is a great deal to be gained by reading this book, for the vast majority of people.
Verdict: 7+/10
Deliberate practice is a type of practice designed to maximise improvement in performance, while minimising the required effort. With that in mind, it is something that could be of interest to everyone.
Peak is thankfully also very accessible, using relatively colloquial vocabulary, and includes an abundance of anecdotes and stories, making it a very comfortable read. The anecdotes and stories are perhaps even too many, however, making the book a fair bit longer than it needs to be, and muddling its structure. (I personally enjoy reading these kinds of stories and anecdotes, however, so I didn't mind this much.) It also takes a fairly long time before it gets to the part about deliberate practice and what it is.
Another criticism that I have seen is that Peak doesn't cover genetics to any large extent, which is a very valid criticism to make, but it seems to me that the book is intended for the average person, not elite athletes wanting to become the best in the world, and so I still believe there is a great deal to be gained by reading this book, for the vast majority of people.
Verdict: 7+/10