Mastery Through Persistence

[#1]

Hi,

Success in work isn't a product of sheer talent alone; it is born from dedication and persistence. Every challenge faced is an opportunity to grow, refine your skills, and push beyond your limits. Remember, consistency in effort and a positive mindset are key to achieving mastery in any field.

Regards,

Muhammad Atif

[#2]

Business writer Malcomb Gladwell is famous for saying "it takes 10,000 hours of intense practice to become an expert."

So ... play 10,000 hours of soccer, you will reach your highest level of play. You will not get any better.

Do programming for 10,000 hours, you will become a master programmer.

What is 10,000 hours?

10,000 hours is 250 weeks, but that's not work weeks. Almost nobody works 8 hours straight without a break for meals or rest or to say hi to a friend. So 250 weeks does not mean you will become an expert in 4.8 years (which is 250 weeks).

Intense practice ... doesn't mean standng around the water cooler, calling your spouse, walking the dog. So, unless you play soccer full time for 250 weeks without a water break, you aren't yet a master soccer player. In truth, for most of us, it would take as many as 10 years to become an expert, as far as Malcomb Gladwell is concerned.

Can you take an SEO course for two weeks, get handed a certificate, and call yourself an expert? Malcomb Gladwell would say that's not even close.

[#3]

That's such an interesting concept. Lol. The only 10,000 hour rule I know about is the one from the famous pop song haha!

[#4]

I don't know that one. Can you hum a few bars?

Anyway, I'm sure you could make an argument that quickly dismantle's Malcomb Gladwell's concept, but that almost isn't the point. The point for me is that there is at least some attempt to define the standard of expertise. Certainly, we all see someone define themselves as an expert after two weeks of practice. Yes it matters if we're talking about checkers or chess -- one of which can be mastered in 30 minutes and the other of which could take an entire lifetime to master. 

At least someone tried to conceptualize expertise with a qualifiable standard.

[#5]

Yes consistency and positive mindset is very important, and one would also need to put in the required minimum time to master a particular skill as Anthony pointed out. There's the theory of 10,000 hours.

If we break it down further, one probably needs to train under a master too in some cases. For example in combat sports, or competitive sports like football/soccer. A master trainer would help upskill quicker.

In other areas like the art of war in olden times, young warriors who had learned the basic skills like how to handle weapons would be sent on campaigns with veterans having 10-15 years of fighting experience. And in 3-4 years they would become almost as capable as the veterans having soaked up all the experience and strategies of the older ones.

A famous saying which I think was from Bruce Lee goes something like, do not fear the fighter who has trained to throw a thousand ways to kick, fear the one who has trained to throw one kick a thousand times.

People apply this concept to soccer players too. A famous Dutch player Arjen Robben was famously known to have just ONE MOVE. Cut-in from the right, on to his left foot and shoot. Everyone knew he was going to do that but were still beaten the same way again and again throughout his career. Many other examples come to mind where the practitioners got so good at one particular skill in their profession, that more often than not it lead them to victory, even if they were average in other areas. Maybe that translates to freelancing as well. Get highly skilled in one particular skill.

From which I take that repetition/drilling/practicing is also important to master certain skills.