A study by K. Anders Ericsson, which looked at musical prodigies, found the common denominator for mastery and success: 10,000 hours of practice. "The emerging picture from such studies," says neurologist Daniel Levitin, "is that 10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—in anything." 10,000 hours is the equivalent of 20 hours a week for 10 years.
Michael Hyatt 10/16/09
In case you skipped over all the big words in the previous paragraph, here is what you missed. In order to be good at something, you have to try...hard...and long. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is...that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living."
I've said this before, I think most of us only want to want things. By things I mean anything from loving God to playing the piano. We say we want these things, but somehow they elude us. However, when we consider the great heroes of the Bible, they exhibit this long obedience that Nietzsche wrote about. If we really want something, we find a way to achieve it.
Abraham followed God for a few decades before he and Sarah received the promised baby boy. Joseph spent years in an Egyptian prison wondering what role he would play for God. Moses spent 80 years in a desert, half of which he spent leading people who complained more than my children on a road-trip.
Think about this. Perhaps you don't want to play an instrument, but being a close follower of God should be your goal. You may want it now. Will you still want it after 10,000 hours?
Michael Hyatt 10/16/09
In case you skipped over all the big words in the previous paragraph, here is what you missed. In order to be good at something, you have to try...hard...and long. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is...that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living."
I've said this before, I think most of us only want to want things. By things I mean anything from loving God to playing the piano. We say we want these things, but somehow they elude us. However, when we consider the great heroes of the Bible, they exhibit this long obedience that Nietzsche wrote about. If we really want something, we find a way to achieve it.
Abraham followed God for a few decades before he and Sarah received the promised baby boy. Joseph spent years in an Egyptian prison wondering what role he would play for God. Moses spent 80 years in a desert, half of which he spent leading people who complained more than my children on a road-trip.
Think about this. Perhaps you don't want to play an instrument, but being a close follower of God should be your goal. You may want it now. Will you still want it after 10,000 hours?
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