The 10,000 Hours Theory
The 10,000 Hours Theory
In 2008, Canadian author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell caused a worldwide conversation upon the release of his book “Outliers: The Story of Success.” In this book Gladwell introduces a theory stating that 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” are needed to become an expert in any field. In the months following the book’s release, hundreds of articles were published breaking down this theory, and many authors claimed to debunk this principle. This theory sparks the question: Is the 10,000 hours rule a fact? And, if so, how can we use this theory to master our own individual craft?
The Research
Though made popular by Malcom Gladwell, the roots of this theory can be seen in a study published in 1993 by Anders Ericsson, Ralf Krampe and Clemens Tesch-Römer. The study was conducted on a group of violin students at a music academy in Berlin. This research stated that the most elite and accomplished students had put in an average of 10,000 hours of practice by the time they turned 20. In Gladwell’s book “Outliers” he says that early access to getting 10,000 hours of practice allowed the Beatles to become one of the greatest bands in history and Bill Gates to become one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Problems with This Theory
After many articles, books, papers, and research studies were published referencing this theory, co-author of the original study Anders Ericsson wanted to clarify some common misconceptions people have had in regards to his research. In a recent book he and co-author Robert Pool explain the following:
“The rule is irresistibly appealing. It’s easy to remember, for one thing. It would’ve been far less effective if those violinists had put in, say, eleven thousand hours of practice by the time they were twenty. And it satisfies the human desire to discover a simple cause-and-effect relationship: Just put in ten thousand hours of practice at anything, and you will become a master.”
He then goes on to state that the number 10,000 was chosen because it was a nice and round number, and even though the students researched were astounding in their field, at 20 years old they were not yet masters of their craft.
Is This Theory a Fact?
The 10,000 hours theory holds many valid and important principles. The theory teaches us that if we want to become amazing in a field, it takes hard work and practice. When people hear about this theory they immediately head to their phones to calculate a rough estimate of how many hours they have practiced to date, but adding up time spent isn’t enough. You can practice every day for three hours, but if you are not pushing yourself and exploring areas you are uncomfortable with, your skills will not improve. Deliberate practice is about identifying what you want to improve, finding the best strategy to begin that improvement, and then working at it until you see results. “Practice does not make perfect; practice makes progress.”
