Range By David Epstein
A book to challenge thinking and encourage Exploration
I first recommended this book to my husband as a parenting philosophy book. Then we recommended it to some professional friends as a thinking exercise on a business plan. I just recommended it to a friend who is thinking about her next career move (MBA or more specialized). This book can challenge the thinking of so many popular notions in society, it’s just a fun read no matter what angle you come from.
David Epstein takes us through sports, art, business, life, parenting, school, and other spheres exploring the belief that specialization doesn’t always equate to more success. How exploring and experiencing more, can lead to a greater ability to think creatively, prioritize well, and problem solve.
”We need habits of the mind that allow us to dance across disciplines.”
What a wonderful way to imagine adaptability. Varying experience allows us to ask foundation-shaking questions, never think one way is good enough, and respect varying points of view. His book is deeply data-driven, bringing in psychology and sociology to challenge our views of what we should be doing against the outcomes we all seek to have (being flexible, driven, grit, etc.).
We all know the Tiger Woods story (2 y.o. playing golf ending the world’s best) but the data shows the majority of kids down that path ultimately fail or do not grow into well rounded adults. He speaks about how “never quitting” is horrible advice. Knowing when to pivot to something better is key to a life well lived.
He spends a great deal of the book breaking down how the most current science directs how we learn best. These mechanisms can relate to schooling, of course, but also sports, vocation, identifying passion, and more. As a parent, I would 100% recommend this book as you decide which school, sports, music, and language schedule you’re 3 year old will partake in this year :) As a professional, if you’re trying to decide a career change, going back to school, starting to study for a side hustle, this book will hopefully engage or challenge your thinking.
As someone who considers themselves a generalist in many ways, this was super affirming that I’m not wandering in the wilderness but the path I’ve chosen for my career and how I seek to learn is not to my detriment. You can engage with, enjoy, and pursue a multitude of things with that actually increasing your likelihood to succeed.
If you read the book, please go to our instagram page and let us know what you think there! Would love to hear your main takeaways!
Happy Learning!