You are going to focus on a single field of achievement. That may be literature, science, mathematics, sport, music, politics, leadership, finance, invention, royalty, crime ... anything at all.
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You may choose to study an individual in depth. For example, you might choose to look at J.K. Rowling in terms of all or some of the questions below. Or you may be interested in writers and look at J.K. Rowling and a number of other writers in terms of some (or all) of the questions. You are looking for any trends which appear to be occurring across all or most of the achievers within that field. And don't forget, the particular focus is what they were like at your age, as well as over their entire lives. You may choose anyone who suits your purpose to research. The biographies listed are only samples. |
The Questions and Sample Biographies
| 1. | What was the first indication of interest in their field? What exactly? | Albert Einstein |
| 2. | Is the field of achievement represented in the family background? | The Leakeys |
| 3. | Did they display an obsessive nature and single minded passion for the topic? | Marie Curie |
| 4. | Is there evidence of a chance event which had a huge impact on their direction? | Paul McCartney |
| 5. | Did they not only have to overcome adversity, but turn it to a gain? | Stephen Hawking |
| 6. | Were they able to have a normal life - job, marriage, time at home with the kids? | Charles Darwin |
| 7. | Did they display perseverance? | Thomas Edison |
| 8. | Is it perfectionism or a striving for excellence they show? Is there a difference? | Henry Ford |
| 9. | Did they take that extra step beyond the norm to make their mark? | Richard Owen |
| 10. | Did they have to work hard to get the break? | J.K. Rowling |
| 11. | Did their learning come from within or beyond traditional education? | Mark Twain |
| 12. | What were they like socially at school? | Robin Williams |
| 13. | Were they an only child, first born or one of many? | Beethoven |
| 14. | Did they have mentors key to their development in their field of achievement? | M.C. Escher |
| 15. | Did they grasp at opportunities on the way up? | Oprah Winfrey |
| 16. | Did they not only overcome opposition, but turn it to a gain? | Nelson Mandela |
| 17. | Is genius so very near to madness? | Nikola Tesla |
| 18. | Were they focused in a narrow field or work across different disciplines? | Lewis Carroll |
| 19. | What REALLY motivated them? | Mother Teresa |
| 20. | And was it nature or nurture or a bit of both? | C. S. Lewis |
Taking a single person, explore their life and achievement in terms of some (or all) of the twenty questions given above.
OR
Taking a number of people from the same field of achievement, explore some (or all) of the questions given above. Is there is a trend revealed? Do you believe this trend will hold for all high achievers within your field of choice? Why?
Even though the biographies of people are listed against other questions, you may well find information in terms of your question in those biographical notes. These biographies are only given as a starting point. They are not to be taken as complete biographies.
