10,000 Hour Rule: Fact or Fiction?

Have you ever heard of the 10,000-hour rule?  It is a simple idea and practically explained in the name.  The 10,000-hour rule states that to master one's craft you must spend 10,000 hours working on it.  It says that 10,000 is almost like a perfect number to work on a painting, or music or writing, or anything else.  A man name Malcolm Gladwell popularized this idea in this book Outliers and this idea has been debunked multiple times.    

In theory, this rule makes sense but when you really think about it, it is an almost self-deprecating rule.  It is saying that if you are not good at something it's your own fault.  You should have just practiced more and worked more.  Now I am not saying that practice is unimportant, you must practice to get better but practice isn't everything and practice does not always make perfect. 

Malcolm Gladwell's idea came from a 1993 study of violinists and pianists which found that on average musical progress rose with practice time and the top performers had accumulated 10,000 hours of practice by the time they were 20.  The study only focused on practice time and not a natural talent.  In the end, the study stated that anyone can become an expert with enough practice.  Later, the study was repeated to see whether the conclusion was the same.  The study used three groups of 13 violinists rated best, good, and less accomplished.  On average the less accomplished group logged a total of 6,000 hours by the time they were 20, when the good and best violinists logged 11,000 hours.  There was very little that separated the good from the best musicians.  The practice time accounted for only 25% of their skills.  This study was conducted by Brook N. Macnamara from The Royal Society who disagrees with Malcolm Gladwell.  She believes that when an elite group of performers comes together who have been playing and practicing all their lives, practice is less important.  

There is so much more that goes into a skill then just practice.  Macnamara says:

"Even the greatest in the world are not perfect, but to become great, it is likely a number of factors, depending on the task," she said. "A combination of genetic factors, environmental factors, and their interactions, make us who we are and what we accomplish. This includes what we think of as talent, motivation, practice, and opportunity."

And I have to agree.  If you find that something you have been practicing is not working and you are seeing no results then maybe you should move on.  I think that is totally okay.  Be versatile, experience, and explore the world you have been given.  Don't be afraid to try new things.  Everyone has fears, it is just part of every human's instincts but oftentimes our instincts are wrong.  A coward is someone who lets the fear control them and a brave man is someone who controls their fear.  

Yesterday I watched the Dead Poets Society for the first time with my family and I thought it was brilliant.  This movie had some of the most amazing quotes, so today I will leave you with two of my very favorites.  

Thank you for reading!  

Carpe diem.

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