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The Talent Code: Greatness isn’t born, it’s grown by Daniel Coyle

What do writers, musicians, pilots and athletes have in common?

The idea that talent is innate is inherently biased. The question of how can someone be naturally gifted stems from the belief that genes play a major role in this, yet if we look closely at high achievers, they prove that it’s more than genes that are at play. Coyle’s ‘hotbeds’ research journey––as he names it––elucidates how deep practice, motivation and mentorship have helped people commit to their passion. He explores the neurological concept of myelin and what triggers this neuronal insulator, asserting the idea (in each of the three sections of this book) that talent is an acquired rather than inherent skill. Stop obsessing over wishes; get moving. Talent will only come if you resonate with it, if you practice over and over and over. Mistakes are part of the journey. Foster trust with yourself and with others. ‘Practice makes myelin, and myelin makes perfect.’

The Talent Code is published by Penguin Random House Australia and available at all good bookstores.

Watch

A bit fruity podcast by Matt Bernstein

If you are endlessly frustrated by a worldwide turn towards fascism, and want a refreshing, intersectional remedy for the insidious nature of internet politics, Matt Bernstein’s watch- able podcast A bit fruity is exactly what you are looking for.

Bernstein is a queer Jewish content creator who has been uncompromisingly outspoken in a time when other creators have stayed silent. He has been especially prevalent in his advocacy for Palestine and has been the victim of a barrage of online hate campaigns as a result. A bit fruity tackles a lot of online issues, from Doordash Grandma to Jeffree Star, and analyses them through the zeitgeist to understand what these issues say about society at large.

While incessant lies and unfathomable cruelty become normalised in our current political landscape, A bit fruity is not only deeply compassionate, but also nuanced in a way that a lot of online spaces fail to be. Want to steal my look? Put on a floral robe and park yourself in front of the loungeroom TV for Bernstein’s latest cultural deep dive. The downfall of Milo Yiannopoulos? In the wise words of somebody somewhere, ‘I’m sat’.

Listen

Music recommendations from Lucy Roberston-Reid, frontwoman of Stockings

Lucy likes emo and indie rock music. She has a penchant for anything with a bit of fuzz, citing Sonic Youth and Pavement as divinities of distortion. She bows down to Twelve Point Buck, Horsegirl and Feeble Little Horse in surrender—their music hits her like Cupid’s bow in the heart. As a devotee of the indie rock persuasion, Lucy pulls out all the stops with recommendations like The Replacements and Electrelane, the latter of which heavily inspired the dynamics and unpredictable vocals that pervade the Stockings EP. A record in her life: Marquee Moon by Television.

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Momento, developed by Fat Alien Cat and Nomo Studio

Fans of games like Unpacking and A Little to the Left should give Momento a try. Developed by Australian studios Fat Alien Cat and Nomo Studio, Momento is a cute and short game you can complete within a day. You play as a nameless character whose story you craft: what toys they’ll play with, what sports they’ll get into, what career they find themself in. As you go, you click on ‘memento’ boxes, which guide you through choices. You’ll sort out each item found within the room and give it a loving home. From there, you’ll move onto the next life stage, until you hit the end of the game only to discover that it’s not quite the end—you won’t uncover the story until you finish each storyline, which is when you’ll receive the true ending. And get ready for a tearjerker!

One of the charming things about Momento is the Australian references—magpies warbling in the morning, posters with Australian landscapes—as well as easter eggs from video games like Tiny Bookshop to TV shows like Ted Lasso. There’s a lot of nostalgia in Momento and it’s genuinely a ton of fun, even if the ending will leave you gutted.

Momento is available to play via Steam, Epic Games, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.