He equated this build-up of myelin as the difference between possessing a broadband or dial-up Internet connection. What's even more significant about this is that impulses seem to jump from one myelin node to the next so they do not have to travel the entire distance that it would have to on a non-myelinated network. For people who achieve high levels of ability this build-up occurs through slow and fast deliberate practice of actions repeated thousands of times.

But that is just the ‘science' behind his book. Anyone who has had a General Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology course or has read any books about the brain knows this information. To me, the most fascinating part of his book dealt with the people and more importantly the environments they developed their talents in.

One of the chapters dealt with how Brazil became a powerhouse in soccer. On a visit, Coyle describes what he observed when walking through one block in a city in Brazil. He counted 50 symbols, before he gave up, of how much the sport is revered. He saw boys walking down the street juggling soccer balls with their feet, people watching a soccer match in a pub and men and teenagers playing a mini-form of soccer called futsal on what looked like a basketball court. The environment is geared toward the one thing that a soccer fan or practitioner loves most and that is soccer.

Making it Personal

For your main passion, how often do you find yourself in an immersive environment such as the one Coyle describes? Common folk wisdom such as "birds of a feather flock together" and "if you lay down with dogs you'll get fleas" is abundant and warns us about the negative consequences of associating with the wrong crowd or being in a ‘bad' environment. Yet, how often do we remind ourselves that we should always be searching for the optimal environment to advance our own interests?

At times, as long as the environment isn't overtly ‘hurting' our progress we may overlook the fact that it isn't helping to increase our development, nourish our talent or prod us to increase our capabilities. But this approach doesn't promote the growth and excellence that many of us are searching for if we find ourselves in non-optimal environs.

Final Thought

If your quest for excellence has you puzzling on what to do next, maybe finding or developing an optimal environment may be the spark you need.

Bakari Akil II, Ph.D. is the author of Super You! 101 Ways to Maximize your Potential! You can also check out his page on Twitter.

Home hacks and design blog Apartment Therapy offers a a few simple, smart tips for removing a stripped screw without any special equipment like an extractor—like using a rubber band:

A rubber band may aid in providing enough grip to remove, or at least loosen, the screw. Place a wide band rubber band inbetween the screw driver (we recommend bumping one size up from the screw head which caused the strip) and the screw, then apply hard, but slow force as you turn. If you're fortunate, the rubber band will fill in the gaps caused by the strip and allow extraction.

They also suggest more obvious solutions like changing the size of your screwdriver, using a pliers when possible, or just pounding the screwdriver into the screw head with a hammer, hoping you can create your own traction. If you've ever tried the rubber band trick—or have your own favorite method—let's hear how it worked in the comments. If your screw's just fine but your screw hole is stripped, a golf tee may be all you need.