--- title: "1 Learn Adult Quotes By Donald O. Clifton" description: "1 Learn Adult quotes by Donald O. Clifton. Plus more from Donald O. Clifton and more Learn Adult sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/donald-o-clifton-14648_nature_as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-t_1188268.jpg" --- > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-the-first-three-years-nature/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/donald-o-clifton-14648_nature_as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-t_1188268.jpg) ## More by Donald O. Clifton > [“The bottom line on skills is this: A skill is designed to make the secrets of the best easily transferable. If you learn a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/the-bottom-line-on-skills-is-this-a-skill-is-designed-to-make-the/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Rather, your smartness and your effectiveness depend on how well you capitalize on your strongest connections.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/rather-your-smartness-and-your-effectiveness-depend-on-how-well-you/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [At an early age, you started hearing it: It's a virtue to be "well-rounded." ... They might as well have said : Become as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/at-an-early-age-you-started-hearing-it-it-s-a-virtue-to-be-well/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“The 'big five' factors of personality are neuroticism (which reflects emotional stability), extroversion (seeking the company of others), openness (interest in new experiences, ideas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/the-big-five-factors-of-personality-are-neuroticism-which-reflects/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/if-nature-didn-t-whittle-down-your-network-to-a-smaller-number-of/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/thus-the-lesson-we-should-draw-from-these-people-is-not-that-each/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“Such questions are labeled 'ipsative,' which means that if in reality you have both, the question makes it impossible for you to show up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/such-questions-are-labeled-ipsative-which-means-that-if-in-reality/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/since-each-person-s-talents-are-enduring-you-should-spend-a-great/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/first-he-became-aware-of-it-many-of-us-don-t-seem-able-to-take-even/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“The only possible failure would be never managing to find the right role or the right partners to help you realize that strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/the-only-possible-failure-would-be-never-managing-to-find-the-right/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/each-of-these-strategies-get-a-little-better-at-it-design-a-support/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“The acid test of a strength? The ability is a strength only if you can fathom yourself doing it repeatedly, happily, and successfully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/the-acid-test-of-a-strength-the-ability-is-a-strength-only-if-you-can/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“To develop a strength in any activity requires certain natural talents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/to-develop-a-strength-in-any-activity-requires-certain-natural-talents/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/but-if-you-find-yourself-thinking-in-the-future-if-you-find-yourself/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) > [What leaders have in common is that each really knows their strengths, has developed their strengths, and can call on the right strength at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/what-leaders-have-in-common-is-that-each-really-knows-their-strengths/) [Donald O. Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-clifton/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/#itemlist", "name": "1 Learn Adult Quotes By Donald O. Clifton", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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 skills and knowledge), keep losing more of your extraneous connections (as also happens when you focus on your talents and allow other connections to deteriorate), or develop a few more synaptic connections.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald O. Clifton" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-clifton/as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-the-first-three-years-nature/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/donald-o-clifton-14648_nature_as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-t_1188268.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/donald-o-clifton-14648_nature_as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-t_1188268.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/donald-o-clifton-14648_nature_as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-t_1188268.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As John Bruer describes in The Myth of the First Three Years, nature has developed three ways for you to…” — Donald O. Clifton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/", "name": "Learn Adult Quotes by Donald O. Clifton", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/donald-o-clifton-14648_nature_as-john-bruer-describes-in-the-myth-of-t_1188268.jpg" }, "description": "1 Learn Adult quotes by Donald O. Clifton. Plus more from Donald O. Clifton and more Learn Adult sayings from other authors.", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/#breadcrumb" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Topics", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Learn Adult", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "Donald O. Clifton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-adult/donald-o-clifton/" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```