“As John Bruer describes in The Myth of the First Three Years, nature has developed three ways for you to learn as an adult: Continue to strengthen your existing synaptic connections (as happens when you perfect a talent with relevant… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share Image
“The bottom line on skills is this: A skill is designed to make the secrets of the best easily transferable. If you learn a… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“Rather, your smartness and your effectiveness depend on how well you capitalize on your strongest connections.” — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
At an early age, you started hearing it: It's a virtue to be "well-rounded." ... They might as well have said : Become as… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“The 'big five' factors of personality are neuroticism (which reflects emotional stability), extroversion (seeking the company of others), openness (interest in new experiences, ideas,… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“If nature didn't whittle down your network to a smaller number of strongly forged connections, you would never become an adult. You would remain… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“Thus, the lesson we should draw from these people is not that each person's talents are infinitely malleable or that they can be anything… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“Such questions are labeled 'ipsative,' which means that if in reality you have both, the question makes it impossible for you to show up… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“Since each person's talents are enduring, you should spend a great deal of time and money selecting people properly in the first place. This… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“First, he became aware of it. Many of us don't seem able to take even this step. Second, and most significant, he chose not… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“The only possible failure would be never managing to find the right role or the right partners to help you realize that strength.” — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
Each of these strategies-get a little better at it, design a support system, use one of your strongest themes to overwhelm your weakness, find… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“The acid test of a strength? The ability is a strength only if you can fathom yourself doing it repeatedly, happily, and successfully.” — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“To develop a strength in any activity requires certain natural talents.” — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
“But if you find yourself thinking in the future, if you find yourself actually anticipating the activity-'When can I do this again?'-it is a… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
What leaders have in common is that each really knows their strengths, has developed their strengths, and can call on the right strength at… — Donald O. Clifton Copy Share
