From 600+ conversations with the world’s leading thinkers.
All ideas and questions might be very interesting, and children has to experience that their questions are equally valued as those coming from a grown up or a Nobel Prize winner.
People who learn fast and who have some level of 'natural' talent may go home from practice early because they don't have to work as hard as others to get to their target level of achievement, but when you study super-achievers, you find that instead of going home early, they work late, and really pull-away from the crowd.
I've always been self-taught, sort of like the Grandma Moses of acting. If I'd gone to drama school, I would probably have had a very different career- perhaps not as much fun in some ways.
Each time we learn something new or encounter a fresh experience, we trigger a reconfiguration of our brains. Neuroplasticity is highest during youth, explaining why children and young adults up to the age of 25 absorb knowledge so rapidly. Their learning capacity is immense, akin to sponges soaking up water.
The best parenting advice I've ever received came from a friend's father, a humble man from the American South. As he detected my apprehension upon learning of my impending fatherhood, he simply said, 'Andy, you just love them and keep them dry.' This advice, as understated as it may appear, proved to be the most profound parenting counsel I've ever received.
The blend of high-level academic learning with top-tier sports training and competition is extraordinary. While theoretical discussions about values are important, sports provide a unique, practical arena for kids to live and learn these values daily.
The concept of Wikia is to provide a platform for communities to build 'the rest of the library', everything that doesn't belong in an encyclopaedia. The purpose is to empower the next wave of massive collaboration, and to extend participatory culture beyond just the non-profit educational and reference works.
Gender identity drives self-socialization. People think adults socialise their children, but children socialise themselves. We see the same process in the Great Apes. Self-socialisation we see, is not limited just to humans! That's why I talk about the idea of gender in apes, not just sex.
The process of problem definition is a discipline that we rarely teach or learn. It is one of the most important things that we can invest our time in.
Games are not just a source of entertainment; they can be a tool for self-improvement, a way to understand decision-making and break free from suboptimal patterns. The initial lesson in any game is that natural talent alone isn't enough. Every time I encounter a new game, I think I might be naturally good at it, but that's rarely the case. However, the truth is empowering: with effort, you can become proficient at any game.
Here's the thing: if people really want to do something, all they need to do is meet someone who's built something from scratch to show them that it can be done by someone just like them.
There's an entirely different category of knowledge, the utility of which isn't immediately apparent. This category is equally, if not more, crucial, especially for those aspiring to make creative or innovative strides. Hence, it's beneficial to enrich our lives with diverse experiences and knowledge outside of our professional sphere.