10,000 hours is not enough

For true mastery, make your efforts count

For decades, the prevailing wisdom was that it takes 10,000 hours to master a craft. This idea was based on research by Anders Ericsson and popularised by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers

It turns out, 10,000 hours is not enough. Or maybe it's too much. Whatever, don't bother. 10,000 hours is a lie

For a great podcast episode on the myth of the 10,000 hour rule, give a listen to If Books Could Kill: Outliers

How to make real progress

What matters more is the type of practice, not the amount. That is, dedicated, deliberate practice is what counts.

While not required, people who want to meaningfully practice something often enlist the help of others.

Maybe you're determined to grind things out on your own; there are many reasons for why someone might solo their skills development.

Be warned that it's often harder, takes longer, and is much less fun.

Regardless of which way you go, know that having someone at your side, deeply listening, providing feedback, and advancing your thinking makes more impact than input hours.

What else matters?

You might also think that you need great kit to practice your craft. Sure, it helps. But it's not everything. Tools are enablers, they don't make greatness.

Grace Slick wrote White Rabbit on a $50 upright piano that had about 10 missing keys. She said it worked because ”I could hear in my head the notes that weren’t there.”

We often look for a great piece of kit or app or instrument to make us better.

However, with the right support, dedication and deliberate practice, you can make just about anything work.

This opens up possibilities

What if we got so good that it didn't matter what we used to do our thing? What if we became so skilled that—like Grace Slick with her incomplete piano—our crafty brains could fill in the gaps?

In that future, I imagine our days are full with creative freedom. I also believe we can approach that state now, even if we lack the skill today. And especially if we don't have 10,000 hours to spare.

What might you achieve in a purposeful 10?

If you want dedicated, one-to-one support to turn your overthinking into expert thinking, come practice with me.