Episode
#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
57:09
Published: Mon Jul 01 2019
Description
David Epstein is a New York Times Best Selling Author and Investigative Journalist. Specialising early and hard is a frequent piece of advice I hear given to people asking for advice on how to become great at things. Mastery and the 10,000 Hour Rule suggests to niche down as early as you can and then capitalise from there. Today David provides us with an alternative point of view and explains how generalists can triumph in a specialised world. Life advice galore, I loved this episode and I'm really looking forward to sitting down with David again soon. Extra Stuff: Buy David's Book Range - https://amzn.to/2ZQ8oFO Follow David on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DavidEpstein Naval on Joe Rogan - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/1309-naval-ravikant/id360084272?i=1000440636786 Check out everything I recommend from books to products and help support the podcast at no extra cost to you by shopping through this link - https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Join the discussion with me and other like minded listeners in the episode comments on the MW YouTube Channel or message me... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ModernWisdomPodcast Email: https://www.chriswillx.com/contact
Chapters
In this episode, the guest emphasizes on the fact that specialization is considered the key to becoming a master of a particular field.
00:00 - 02:50 (02:50)
Summary
In this episode, the guest emphasizes on the fact that specialization is considered the key to becoming a master of a particular field. The host welcomes a New York Times bestselling author to discuss this topic and share his views on professional and personal development.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
Canadian tennis player, Daniel Nestor, and Wayne Gretzky referenced David Epstein's "science of athletic development" in highlighting the importance of being a generalist athlete before specializing in one sport.
02:50 - 10:10 (07:20)
Summary
Canadian tennis player, Daniel Nestor, and Wayne Gretzky referenced David Epstein's "science of athletic development" in highlighting the importance of being a generalist athlete before specializing in one sport. This method improves overall athletic success compared to peers who start specializing too soon.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
The guest speaker notes the exponential growth of podcasts and the benefits of niching down early in game development.
10:10 - 17:17 (07:07)
Summary
The guest speaker notes the exponential growth of podcasts and the benefits of niching down early in game development. By specializing in a specific area, one can accumulate compounding interest over time to build mastery and leverage that expertise later.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
AngelList CEO and venture capitalist investor, Naval Ravikant, embodies a mix of beliefs and values that defy easy categorization, existing as a normal libertarian who spends a lot of time in Silicon Valley and values the combination of knowledge.
17:17 - 21:29 (04:11)
Summary
AngelList CEO and venture capitalist investor, Naval Ravikant, embodies a mix of beliefs and values that defy easy categorization, existing as a normal libertarian who spends a lot of time in Silicon Valley and values the combination of knowledge.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
A reporter at Sports Illustrated talks about how his knowledge in environmental science became valuable when he joined the magazine and how combining atypical knowledge increases the chances of a paper becoming high-impact.
21:29 - 25:51 (04:22)
Summary
A reporter at Sports Illustrated talks about how his knowledge in environmental science became valuable when he joined the magazine and how combining atypical knowledge increases the chances of a paper becoming high-impact.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
Starting at a young age is key to achieving international master status and becoming successful in fields with complex patterns such as computer chess and self-driving cars.
25:51 - 31:12 (05:20)
Summary
Starting at a young age is key to achieving international master status and becoming successful in fields with complex patterns such as computer chess and self-driving cars. Expensive top five business schools are not the solution, and becoming a dilettante is a possible risk.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
A study reveals that specialized surgeons perform unnecessary procedures due to payment from procedures, leading to overuse of stents and other treatments, even when not medically necessary.
31:12 - 37:51 (06:39)
Summary
A study reveals that specialized surgeons perform unnecessary procedures due to payment from procedures, leading to overuse of stents and other treatments, even when not medically necessary.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
The guest speaker shares her experience of keeping a “book of experiments” where she writes down hypotheses about herself that she wants to try.
37:51 - 44:07 (06:15)
Summary
The guest speaker shares her experience of keeping a “book of experiments” where she writes down hypotheses about herself that she wants to try. She emphasizes that it’s important to try new things with an open mind in order to discover what skills and interests one has.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
The writer of the book Range, David Epstein, is given praise by public radio for spending significant time giving credit to dissenters acknowledging the need for specialists.
44:07 - 51:08 (07:01)
Summary
The writer of the book Range, David Epstein, is given praise by public radio for spending significant time giving credit to dissenters acknowledging the need for specialists. Epstein's example of a specific specialist rose from a popular coding group, showcasing the benefit of collaboration outside traditional expert fields.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker discusses the benefits of challenging oneself and sticking to a skill or hobby, citing the example of a senior citizen learning new puzzles and their own experience with consistently working on a skill with linear progress.
51:08 - 55:33 (04:24)
Summary
The speaker discusses the benefits of challenging oneself and sticking to a skill or hobby, citing the example of a senior citizen learning new puzzles and their own experience with consistently working on a skill with linear progress.
Episode#084 - David Epstein - Specialisation Is For Insects
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker talks about the importance of excellence, integrity, and virtue in one's life while another person urges him to write another book.
55:33 - 56:56 (01:23)
Summary
The speaker talks about the importance of excellence, integrity, and virtue in one's life while another person urges him to write another book. The speaker declines gently, stating his busy schedule.