Wednesday, March 11, 2009

10,000 Hour Rule



I am going to deviate from my normal family narrative and comment briefly about the book I'm reading. Usually I stay away from that sort of thing since my husband posts enough literary wisdom for the both of us. I thought this was interesting though. In Malcolm Gladwell's lateset book, Outliers He discusses the 10,000 hour rule. It is roughly the number of hours to become an expert at something- anything. He sites the Beetles's stage time before their big break, Bill Gates's programing hours before his big break, Bobby Fisher and chess, professional violinists etc. He argues that they do have some natural talent and inclination, but its the time investment that seperates the amatures from the professionals so to speak.
My first question to myself-have I spent 10,000 hours doing anything? (besides sleeping and eating, and I know I'm an expert at those two things!) I decided that I probably have NOT spent any where close to that. It takes about 3 hours a day, every day, for 10 years to reach the expert level. I figure I'm some where in the 1000-2000 hour level for piano, same for cooking. Zach and I decided that if we continue to attend the temple every other week for 50 years we'll only get in 2500 hours. Here is the next step in this train of thinking, do I want to become an expert? If so, in what? Am I willing to put in the 10,000 hours necessary? Are you? Tell me what you are an expert at- I'm interested in knowing.


6 comments:

  1. Ohhh, this has me thinking. I would guess I'm close to the cooking expertise, but don't consider myself an expert! Probably have logged in enough mommy hours to be an expert, but don't consider myself an expert in that either. Pretty close to being a wash expert, but have a few more years. I need to think about what I want to be an expert in!

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  2. If it takes that Long I don't think I want to be an expert in anything! I think I will just enjoy doing things just for fun!

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  3. VERY interesting. I guess I'm not an expert of law yet. But I play a lawyer in real life!

    Question: Does breaking the 10,000 hour mark = financial freedom? The three examples you cited seem to indicate that.

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  4. Good blog, Alana.
    WEll, we spend usually 9 hours when we go either 3 or 4 times a week and then all day Sunday talking about it...so that makes day 5.
    By your time table maybe that puts us in the lower level of expert.
    What I do know is that you can't compare what we knew when we arrived and what we know now.
    The Temple is an area where it needs a life time and beyond.

    There are times when I have spent that much time knitting or sewing, but I'm not an expert there either. I have not refined all my skills. I still need more instruction. I can spend that much time, but need more refined skills.
    mom

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  5. I forgot about cooking.
    I know I've logged that many hours and more cooking for the masses.
    So I guess it is how you define "expert". I can cook for the masses without presentation.

    I can do laundry well...spots, ect.
    Butperhaps some one is able to do it better.

    I'm also a pretty good ironer.
    I used to iron Dad's underwear, pillow cases...ect.

    I've raised 60 children...don't know that I am an expert, but I endured...and learned how to thwart some of their antics and tricks...but have a lot of gaps with inadequate knowledge.
    mom again

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  6. Wow. Great post. I might be an expert reader at this point in my life... I could be content knowing that. But ditto a lot of the previous comments. Can I just be an expert at moderation? Moderation in all things, expert in none.

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