Range Summary

Summary of Range Book by David Epstein

Name: Range
Rating: 4.6 (9299 reviews)
Author: David Epstein

4.6 . 9299 reviews

Short summary

Did you know that the most effective path to success in any domain isn’t what most of us have been lulled into believing? Many experts claim that the key to developing a skill or leading one’s field is to start early, focus intensely, and engage in deliberate practice for as many hours as possible. If you delay or dabble, they say, you will find it hard to catch up to those who got a head start. But recent studies of the world’s top performers, from Nobel laureates to elite athletes, show that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. Following a series of research on individuals who dominate their fields all over the world, David Epstein discovered that generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. This is especially true for fields that are complex and unpredictable. Generalists usually find their path late, and they juggle many interests instead of focusing on one. This makes them more agile, more creative, gives them the ability to make connections their more specialized peers can’t discern. In “Range” David Epstein makes a compelling case for embracing experimentation and diverse experience. “To arrive at a place optimized for you alone, like Van Gogh or Frances Hesselbein, you must have range — you must be comfortable with experimentation.” ~ David Epstein

15 min

7 key points

6 insights

Try Headway app

Table of content

Summary of Range
About the author
What is Range about?
Who should read Range
Topics in Range

first key point

While hyperspecialization is highly encouraged in our society, generalization is the more prevalent path to success

Listen the first key point

00:00

One of the best examples of early expertise is professional golf player Tiger Woods. His father, Earl Woods, started training him as soon as he began walking. He was ten months old. He engaged in “deliberate practice,” practicing golf most of the time. At the age of two, Tiger entered his first tournament and won the ten-and-under division. By the time he got to college, he was already world-famous for his exceptional sportsmanship. Today, he is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time.

Tiger has come to symbolize the myth that is predominant in our society today. This myth is based on the notion that success is determined primarily by the quantity of deliberate practice, and how early in life we start that practice.

We are often taught that the key to survival in our complex and highly competitive world is to narrow our focus and specialize in a certain field.

The upbringing of Roger Federer is the opposite of that of Tiger Woods. Even though his mother was a tennis coach, she never forced him to play the game. Federer grew up playing a wide array of sports and only started focusing on tennis in his teenage years. But this didn’t hamper his development in the long run. Today, he is widely deemed one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

While we glorify the stories of athletes that follow the Tiger path in our society, the Roger path to stardom is actually more common. Recent studies of the entire developmental path of athletes from early childhood have shown that eventual elites don’t start out by devoting most of their time to deliberate practice in their area of expertise.

Instead, they undergo a “sampling period.” They play a variety of sports and gain a range of physical proficiencies; only later do they focus in and devote time to practice in one area.

While there is no doubt that some fields require people with Tiger’s clarity of purpose and precocity, as complexity increases, the world also needs more Rogers. We need people with range — individuals who start broad and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives as they progress.

second key point

Specialization is not a good idea in domains where patterns rarely recur

Do specialists really get better with experience? Psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Gary Klein independently conducted several studies to answer this question. They both found out that there is no substantial correlation between experience and expertise.

Continue reading with Headway app

Full summary is waiting for you in the app

third key point

Having range can put you ahead in a world with few rigid rules and ill-defined challenges

fourth key point

It’s good to have grit, but knowing when to quit is prudent

fifth key point

With age and experience, you’ll get the context needed to determine who you want to be

sixth key point

The embrace of breadth and experimentation are essential to becoming a generalist

seventh key point

Conclusion

Buy full book on Amazon Continue the summary

What is Range about?

In this thought-provoking book, the author challenges the prevailing notion that specialization is the key to success. Drawing on a wide range of examples from sports, science, and the arts, Epstein argues that individuals with diverse experiences and a broad skill set, known as generalists, often outperform specialists in today's complex world. With compelling evidence and engaging storytelling, he explores the benefits of embracing a more flexible and exploratory approach to life and work.

Who should read Range

Professionals seeking to excel in a rapidly changing job market.
Students and educators looking to navigate career choices effectively.
Individuals interested in understanding the benefits of a broad skillset.

Topics in Range

Psychology Education Career Development Personal Development Learning Creativity Problem Solving Critical Thinking Leadership Management Entrepreneurship Productivity Networking Self-Discovery Self-Love

Enjoy summarized nonfiction bestsellers

Grasp the book’s key ideas in less than 15 minutes

Get started

Get new knowledge easily

Let’s check how many titles you can finish in a month with Headway! Tell us how much time you’d like to spend on reading:

2 min/day

5 min/day

10 min/day

15 min/day

20 min/day

30 min/day

45 min/day

4 titles/month

10 titles/month

20 titles/month

30 titles/month

40 titles/month

60 titles/month

90 titles/month

4 titles/month

10 titles/month

20 titles/month

30 titles/month

40 titles/month

60 titles/month

90 titles/month

Join 30+ million learners around the world

60K5 reviews on App Store and Google Play

Everything you need to be motivate, to learn & to self improves is all here. I actually do appreciate the reminders because otherwise this wouldn’t work for me. Thank you

sandypantalones

Headway is the answer! No longer accumulating books I never read. With Headway, I initially chose the areas important to me such as productivity, time management, etc., and each day I'm provided several book summaries from which I devote 20 minutes or more each day reading. All of this on my phone! My life has improved with Headway. Truly my most useful app.

Carol Slinker

An excellent concept, executed well. Headway can help you retain what you've read while introducing you to the essential core of new information. It's an easier way to stay inspired, and to be reminded of the mental tools you've learned

Fuse Henry

In today’s world, we rarely have time. Between our jobs, our families are social obligations, when do we have time to grow and develop ourselves? Headway is an excellent app that gives you that time it gives you those little snippets of information that you need to direct your focus in on your life. Headway gives you a chance to find out the meat of a book that you might want to purchase and read or listen to in-depth without wasting a lot of time trying to figure out is this book for me? I highly recommend the app.

sleepy sprite

The selections are on point and the summaries are excellent! I listen while I walk my pup 🐶 and have in turn, ordered a few selections! REALLY loving the app, it’s layout, daily selections and features!

JuicyBaby328

I've gotten multiple books out of the library with the intent to read them, but always have a hard time finding the time. This app has helped me finally be able to get to them. Summarized, yes, and thank goodness too! Just short enough I can finish one on my way picking kids up from school/practice, or while I'm cooking dinner. I can't wait to listen to them over the summer when we visit the beach!

Jillian Emmert

It amazed me! There is the possibility to highlight the most important points of each book and instantly translate unfamiliar vocabulary. With the ability to review the searched words. It's a great way to learn more about English as well. The price is great.

Fiamma

I’m enjoying what I’m learning on headway.each summary comes with quotes at the end which you can save to help you remember key points. You can listen or read, I’ve found that reading puts me to sleep before I can finish but the listening feature keeps me engaged and I can finish in a brief amount of time if not one session.

Epic waters

The app it’s so easy to use. I use it while driving or cooking and is great. I love the fact that the chapters are short, so you can finish them quickly. Very knowledgeable.

kathytaveras

The best app for self development.It helps to keep pace with your reading and also suggests the kind of reading material you might like.It is fun as you can switch from reading to listening and vice-versa as per your convenience .Just get started and partake of the treasure of knowledge at your fingertips .I feel lucky to have spotted the app.It has helped me become self-disciplined and much better informed.The audio track is excellent.

anita yadav

Exactly what I need! I always have booklist to read, but can't committed enough to finish/start bc of too much pages. Headway is really helpful and concise with their summary. What I love the most is that the essence of the book is well crafted, so I don't only read the key points, but also there's the story and how personality of the author still well shown through the summary. Well done!

Feninda Amalia

This is outstanding best app ever and honestly whoever came up with is my app is an absolute genius kudos my gratitude definitely goes out and I’m only on my first week free trial and I’m certainly going to purchase this app annually. Now that I have it, I can’t even imagine living without it.

Darlin NIKKIDOLL0923

Have questions?

Asking the right questions brings you closer to achieving your goals

Can I test out Headway before purchasing it for my team?Payment

Sure, we will gladly give you access to our app for a certain period if you are interested in purchasing a corporate subscription for your team. Please fill out the form on the website or email partners@makeheadway.com. We will get back to you soon.

What should I do if some of my employees already have your Premium subscription?Payment

Can I increase or decrease the number of subscriptions on my corporate subscription once it’s started?Payment

What are the benefits of books summary?

Do you find yourself staring at your computer for long minutes, unaware of time slipping by? Do you enter a room and suddenly cannot remember why you stepped in the first place? Is it a herculean task for you to sit through ten pages of a book without reaching for your phone? If yes, your focus needs some work and fast.

Actually, yours is not a unique situation. Many adults like you have issues concentrating on a given task. However, in this fast-paced world of ours, you can’t afford to be not focused at all times. Thankfully, this article comes to your rescue! With the tips and tricks from Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey, you will get in the top percent of folks who have mastered the art of concentration.