What is the most effective path to success in any field? Not what you think.
Many experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and put in as many hours of intentional practice as possible. If you're running high or running late, you'll never catch up with the people who got a head start. But a closer look at the research on the world's top artists, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception rather than the rule.
David Epstein has examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters, and scientists. He discovered that in most fields - especially those that are complex and unpredictable - generalists, rather than specialists, are predisposed to excel. Generalists often find their way late, juggling many interests rather than focusing on one. They are also more creative, more flexible, and able to make connections that their more specialized peers don't see.
Exciting, stern, and intriguing, Range makes a compelling case for actively cultivating incompetence. Failing an exam is the best way to learn. Repeat leavers end up with the most satisfying jobs. The most influential inventors cut across fields rather than deepening their knowledge in one area. As experts tune in more while computers perfect more skills previously reserved for hyperfocus-focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive.
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