Have you ever heard, that the key to achieving true expertise in any skill, is simply a matter of practicing (in the correct way) for at least 10,000 hours.
And holy wow, is that a LOT of time.
In some recent studies and findings, this may not necessarily be completely true at all, but we feel there’s -some- truth to it.
Malcom Gladwell, the author of “Outliers: The Story of Success” claims that ‘practice isn’t something you do once you’re good at a skill. It is the thing that makes you good.’
Which, okay…we can get on board with this one. But 10,000 hours, we’re still not sold on it.
That’s not to say that the more you do something the worse you’ll get at all. We’re just a little hesitant to agree that at 10,000 hours and only once you hit that landmark are you an expert.
Expertise is a tricky word and concept. It is completely subjective to every person. There’s not a cookie cutter guideline and requirements for every skill out there. So who’s to say who is an expert and who isn’t.
Moral of the ‘10,000 hour’ story is that we should find our passion and fully immerse ourselves into it. Whether that’s preparing for 10,000 hours of it. Or spending time practicing the skill your passionate about whenever you get the chance.
What do you think? Is 10,000 hours a good marker to decide expertise? Or is it all relative? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want some more knowledge on the topic, coming from both ends of the spectrum, check out these links to establish an educated opinion yourself!
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