Prodigy is a production of I Heart Radio.

Prodigy's are children that display rapid skill acquisition in a domain.

A domain is any specific area of activity or knowledge, like tennis or writing or psychology or chess.

Chess is a domain where mastery is associated with a superior intellect.

It's incredibly strategic, yet it's simple enough that a child can play.

But some children do more than just play.

My name is Lowell Rilanti, and this is Prodigy.

If you're like me, you believe that a Prodigy is a rare combination of genetic talent, environment and effort.

But some people have made a lot of money selling the idea that talent doesn't exist,

and that the driving force behind expert performance is just effort.

They also call it hard work or practice.

A common way they introduce this idea is by using the example of the Polgar sisters.

Here is their story.

Before his children were even conceived, Lazlo Polgar believed they would be Prodigies.

Lazlo is a Hungarian educational psychologist born in 1946.

As a university student, he studied intelligence and came to the conclusion that people who were recognized as geniuses had early introduction to their domain.

Lazlo is quoted as saying, it's very interesting, because when I looked at the life stories of geniuses, I found the same thing.

They all started at a very young age and studied intensively.

Mozart is a classic example, because his father was a music teacher.

Mozart began learning to play the piano at three years old. He developed perfect pitch and became so famous that his name is interchangeable genius.

So Lazlo theorized that early specialized education is far more important than talent.

He concluded that introduction should begin at three years old, and intensive education should begin at six.

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