


He discovered that in most fields-especially those that are complex and unpredictable-generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. But a closer look at research on the world's top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule.ĭavid Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists.

If you dabble or delay, you'll never catch up to the people who got a head start. Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. What's the most effective path to success in any domain? It's not what you think.
