"People like Wayne Gretzky or Yo-Yo Ma or Charlie Wilson all have talents and an affinity for translating thought into action. They're what we might call physical geniuses."

"This kind of obsessive preparation does two things. It creates consistency. Practice is what enables Greg Rusedski to hit a serve at a hundred and twenty-five miles per hour again and again. It's what enables a pianist to play Chopin's double-thirds 'tude at full speed, striking every key with precisely calibrated force. More important, practice changes the way a task is perceived."

"Wayne Gretzky would frequently stay behind after practice, long after everyone had left, flipping pucks to a specific spot in the crease, or aiming shot after shot at the crossbar or the goal post."