23rd September 2010
"One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life."
Edward B. Butler
Recently I read a research article on the making of an `expert'. We know legends such as Steven Spielberg, A R Rahaman, Viswanathan Anand etc., who have reached the pinnacle of success in their life. Most of us want to become world class. In fact that is what all of us want to do. We also have ideas and plans. We even start. But how many of us persevere and follow through? Sustaining the enthusiasm and our effort level is the secret for success.
If you want to become an `expert' in your chosen filed, you have to indulge in what is called `deliberate practice'. If you do deliberate practice for 10,000 hours in your chosen field, you can become an expert! Sounds very simple? But read the following points which makes `deliberate practice':
1. Such a focused deliberate practice will not be inherently enjoyable. You will feel bored and stressed.
2. Practice is different from working or playing. For example if you are a cricketer, the time you spend plying the game is not counted for this 10,000 hours! Only pure practice hours will be taken into account.
3. The number of hours you spend on practicing should be to develop the relevant skill. For example, if you want to be the world's fastest typist, the hours you spend on reading will not be taken as typing practice.
4. It's not watching someone practicing, but you have to log in 10,000 hours yourself to reach the world class expertise level. If you want to be an expert singer, you have to practice singing yourself, and not listening someone to sing.
5. You have to be involved and committed in your serious practice, and not mere ritualistic and superficial practice. The practicing should be intensive and deliberate.
6. You should have an expert as your coach or mentor who can identify the gap in your current expertise level.
Why don't you do another weekend exercise? Identify a field in which you want to become a world class expert, say, swimming, dancing etc. and chart our an action place of deliberate practice as listed above. With this plan in place watch your progress!
N C Sridharan
www.thetimefoundation.com'
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