Friday, November 22, 2024

In 2008 a book was published, titled 'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell. Since its release many have used the material in the book to inspire, motivate and demonstrate what it takes to be successful. But the mark might be missed, in part, not in its whole. Gladwell gives us an interesting case study on successful people.

Explaining the secrets to a Bill Gates or the success of the Beatles. He famously wrote, "10,000 hours is the magic number of greatness." Implying that for anyone to

be successful at anything, 10,000 hours needs to be committed to the task. Robert Greene will call this 'mastery.’

But this 10,000 hour number will vary. It doesn't take into account who we are, where we're from and if we have other factors at play - like dyslexia that makes 10,000 hours more of a guideline and not a hard-and-fast rule.

I believe what Gladwell is educating us is, success is about having a practice of intention. Where we are focused and we do it on purpose. That could be becoming a brain

surgeon, a tax preparer, good at math, being a teacher or carpenter. Anything we decide to face head on needs focus. Like 10,000 hours worth.

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." -Bruce Lee