Clocking up 10,000 hours
by Shang Lee
Now, the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell of The Tipping Point and Blink fame, suggests that to be very good at anything you do (and I mean VERY good), you need to clock up at least 10,000 hours of doing that thing. This includes anything you can think of – basketball, golf, investing, programming, Tai Chi…
Now, I did a quick calculation on what this means to a mere mortal like me, and here is what I have:
If I train for 1 hour per week, e.g. go to a 1 hour Tai Chi class every week but not practising at home, I’ll need 192 years before becoming very good.
If I train for 20 minutes a day, like what I’ve set out to do this year, I’ll need 82 years before becoming real good.
If I train for 3 hours a day, it’ll take me 9 years to be very good.
If I train for 6 hours a day, like what my current teacher did when he was younger, it’ll take me 4 and a half years to be very good.
Contrast this to my 40 hours work-week, I should be very good at my work after about 5 years.
So… how many hours of effort do you want to put into the things that you love? I guess it’ll depend on how old you are now, and how long you think you can keep doing that thing…
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You’re pointing at one of the things that separates a professional from an amateur. The professional is putting in those kinds of hours.
For myself, to think about training in those terms; I’d make myself crazy.
When I was a young man studying aikido, living at home, and marginally employed, there was a period where I was attending about 12 classes a week plus extra seminars, etc.
Now as an adult with responsibilities, I train as I can. Maybe an hour a day, more or less, most days.
I have no illusions about being the next Chen FaKe, I’m simply looking to clear my mind, and keep my body healthy, while practicing correctly.
How about this? If we learn to move from the center habitually, we’ll be practicing every waking moment. Divide an average of 16 hours a day into 10,000, and now we’re talking!
Hahaha!!! my cat have been sleeping for 22 hours a day, he’s way passed 454.54 days needed to be very good. In fact, he have clocked more than 64,284 hours and counting, he is the true Coon-coon Master of our era
Anyone having insomnia, you can contact us for an exclusive understudying programme. Do book your appointment way in advance, as he got a very tight daily schedule.
with compliments from the Coon-coon Master… serving the insomnia nation with pride and joy
Rick, i think you’ve pointed out the key… habitualise it.
Alessi, i envy your cat…
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