If you were relatively average as a child, fear not – as the majority of elite performers hit their peak in later life, a study has revealed.
Researchers have discovered that only a relatively small proportion of child geniuses go on to maintain their greatness into adulthood.
They analysed data on more than 34,000 world–class performers including Nobel prize winners, Olympic medallists, the world’s best chess players and the most renowned classical music composers.
‘A common pattern emerges across the different disciplines,’ Professor Arne Güllich, one of the study’s authors from the University of Kaiserslautern–Landau, said.
Firstly, the best at a young age and the best later in life are mostly different individuals, he revealed.
Second, those who reached elite level showed gradual performance development in their early years and were not yet among the best of their age group.
And finally, those who later achieved peak performance did not specialise in a single discipline at an early age – and instead kept their options open.
The findings could go some way to explaining why some of history’s most talented individuals were people who didn’t perform well at school – including Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, J.K. Rowling, Michael Jordan and Walt Disney.
As a small child (left) Albert Einstein experienced speech delays and was considered less intelligent than his peers. But as an adult, he became the ‘father of relativity’ and is hailed as a genius
The development of the highest levels of human achievement, showing how child geniuses don’t tend to become world-class performers into adulthood
The study, published in the journal Science, indicates the traditional image of a child prodigy – for example Mozart, who started composing music at the age of five, and maths genius Matilda, from the hit film of the same name – is not an accurate reflection of how elite adults grew up.
Instead many followed much more gradual paths to stardom.
Renowned physicist Albert Einstein, for example, experienced early speech delays and was slow to answer questions. He was considered less intelligent than his peers at school but began to show exceptional mathematical and scientific aptitude in his teens.
Steve Jobs, who co–founded Apple, dropped out of college without telling his parents. He has since admitted he had ‘no idea’ what he wanted to do with his life but followed his curiosity and intuition.
J.K. Rowling, who found unimagined success with her Harry Potter books, was first rejected from Oxford University and eventually graduated from Exeter with a 2:2.
Meanwhile Walt Disney, who built a global entertainment empire, left formal education early and was once fired from a newspaper for ‘lacking imagination’ and having ‘no good ideas’.
And Michael Jordan, overwhelmingly considered one of the best basketball players of all time, famously failed to make a high school team because he was too short.
The researchers said experiences a range of interests as a child can improve your chances of finding an optimal niche over the years.
J.K. Rowling, who found unimagined success with her Harry Potter books, was first rejected from Oxford University. Meanwhile Steve Jobs, who co-founded Apple, dropped out of college without telling his parents
Walt Disney, who built a global entertainment empire, left formal education early and was once fired from a newspaper for ‘lacking imagination’ and having ‘no good ideas’
‘Those who find an optimal discipline for themselves, develop enhanced potential for long–term learning and have reduced risks of career–hampering factors, have improved chances of developing world–class performance,’ Professor Güllich explained.
Those who peak too early can end up stuck in a discipline they don’t enjoy or experience burnout, he warned.
Too much early focus on one field of interest can even lead to injury, especially if it involves sport.
Following the findings, he has come up with recommendations for how society can promote talented young people to develop into future top performers.
‘Here’s what the evidence suggests: Don’t specialize in just one discipline too early,’ he said.
‘Encourage young people and provide them opportunities to pursue different areas of interest. And promote them in two or three disciplines.’
These may be disciplines that are not directly related to on another – language and mathematics, for example, or geography and philosophy.
He points to Albert Einstein, who was also passionate about music from an early age.
The findings, he says, ‘may enhance opportunities for the development of world–class performers – in science, sports, music and other fields’.
In a foreword to the study Ekeoma Uzogara, associate editor of the journal, wrote: ‘From athletes like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps to scientists like Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, identifying exceptional talent is essential in the science of innovation.
‘But how does talent originate?
‘In an Analytical Review, Güllich et al looked at published research in science, music, chess, and sports and found two patterns: Exceptional young performers reached their peak quickly but narrowly mastered only one interest – e.g. one sport.
‘By contrast, exceptional adults reached peak performance gradually with broader, multidisciplinary practice.’
