“The’best’studentsarecuriousrisk-takerswhomakeconnectionsacrossdisciplines.Byfollowingthoseinstincts--ratherthansimplychasing’success’--thebeststudentsachievedit...Awonderfulexplorationofexcellence.“--Fortune“Skillfullyweavestogethersomeofthebestresearchabouteffectivelearningstrategieswithmovingstoriesaboutremarkablelife-longlearners.Someofthemhadgreatteachers.Butmostofthemsucceedbecauseofwhattheydidforthemselves.“--ThomasLuxon,DartmouthCollege“Wearealwaystellingstudentsto’findtheirpassion.’Nowwehaveabookthatlooksathowthathappens...KenBaincanreallytellastory...itisveryrareforabookbaseduponresearchtobesuchacompellingread.“--Jos矇AntonioBowen,SouthernMethodistUniversityCombiningacademicresearchonlearningandmotivationwithinsightsdrawnfrominterviewswithpeoplewhohavewonNobelPrizes,Emmys,orotherwiseledlivesofmeaningandaccomplishment,KenBainidentifiesthekeyattitudesthatdistinguishthebestcollegestudentsfromtheirpeers.Moststartoutwithabeliefthatintelligenceandabilityareexpandable,notfixed.Thisleadsthemtomakeconnectionsacrossdisciplinesandtofindwaysofreconceivingproblemsratherthansimplylookingfortherightanswer.Intrinsicallymotivatedbytheirownsenseofpurpose,theyarenotoverlyimpressedwithconventionalnotionsofsuccess.Thebeststudentsstudyinsmallbites,focusmoreonconceptthanprocedure,andworkcollaboratively,gettingfriendstotestthemontheirknowledge.Theydon’tachievesuccessbymakingsuccesstheirgoal--whenitcomes,itisabyproductoffollowingtheirintellectualcuriosity,solvingusefulproblems,andtakingriskstolearnandgrow.
