“To develop a strength in any activity requires certain natural talents.”

“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.”

“There is one sure way to identify your greatest potential for strength: Step back and watch yourself for a while. Try an activity and see how quickly you pick it up, how quickly you skip steps in the learning and add twists and kinks you haven't been taught yet. See whether you become absorbed in the activity to such an extent that you lose track of time. If none of these has happened after a couple of months, try another activity and watch-and another. Over time your dominant talents will reveal themselves, and you can start to refine them into a powerful strength.”

“Talents are your naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior.”

“The definition of a strength that we will use throughout this book is quite specific: consistent near perfect performance in an activity.”

“Knowledge consists of the facts and lessons learned.Skills are the steps of an activity.These three-talents, knowledge, and skills-combine to create your strengths.”

“1. Each person's talents are enduring and unique.2. Each person's greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strength.”