10,000 Hour of Hard Work

I just wrapped Malcolm Gladwell's newest book called Outliers. Randomly found it in the airport a few weeks ago on my way to Mexico. I plowed through it pretty fast as it was pretty interesting. I haven't read a full book in quite some time because I've been so busy. Needless to say it was a great book about why successful people are successful. Chase Jarvis posted a on this subject after he heard Malcolm speak at an ASMP event, which is a great post. Malcolm's case and point is that success is due to hard work, opportunity, and timing.

The section in his book "The 10,000 Rule" is pretty interesting as it just makes so much sense. Malcolm's idea is that typically when you dedicate 10,000 hours to your craft, is when you start to become proficient at it. Being successful comes down to opportunity, 10,000 hours of practice time, hard work, and talent. A lot of the rich successful people today such as Bill Gates, got started on their 10,000 hours when they were very young and have had the time to grow.

As I thought about this, a lot of the successful photographers that I've talked to lately have hit their tipping point at around the 5-6 year mark. If you break this down, that's working full time (40 hours per week) and that comes out to roughly 10,000 hours. This is just the breaking point of becoming , like a "coming of age" so to speak, and really is the beginning of your career. The reality is, is that it's a lot more than 40 hours a week. Especially when there are so many more things involved to this business that just shooting that require practice.

When it comes down to it, it's hard work and is a majority of what got me to where I am today(just to the beginning of my tipping point). The biggest thing I've learned is that it's an artistic journey, something that is only developed over time which can't be rushed. As I look back, it's been long hours of hard work. It doesn't necessarily seem like hard work, or even work because I love what I do, but regardless, it's hard work. The more you click and practice your skills, the more you develop.

Chase and I just had a conversation about this over breakfast recently, and talked about the bottom line and how some people are willing to put in the time and some aren't. That's the difference between success and not.

Moral of the story: It takes 10,000 of hard work to START to become successful at what you do.

Comments

[Briana]

I'm glad you posted this article as I've thought about this a bunch. At what point does one become successful or consider himself a successful person? This also implies that anyone can be successful if they're willing to devote the hard work to do so. It's encouraging to me when my road to success seems so long and I want to throw in the towel, sell everything, and move to Morocco. So I stick it out, suck it up, and realize that all the training in Calculus or Chemistry is to get me to my great goal and passion. Success is just around the bend. In about 8,000 hours or so. ;)

[Carl Reid]

My wife and I just finished reading that book as well. I'm in total agreement with the 10,000 Hours of Hard Work. Now I can only calculate how many hours I've invested so far?!?!?

Regards,
Carl

[D*LSH DESIGN]

that's pretty awesome... i have been thinking that i lost myself and my dreams, but you opened my eye to a new perspective. i'm not a photographer, but this applies to everyone. we all have to pay our dues to get to where we want to be. i think i'm almost there.

[Jarrad Kevin]

Great post, Nick.
I've been a big fan of Gladwell's for some time. I have purchased "Outliers" and it's in the reading queue. I recall Gladwell briefly mentioning the 10,000 hour idea in one of his other books; The Tipping Point, I believe. It really struck a chord with me at the time as it seemed to make so much sense.

[Nick Onken]

It's a lot of work, and just goes to show us that no matter what we do, that's what it takes.

[Ed Araquel]

Great post!

I believe Rob Haggart's post over at A Photo Editor is talking about a similar thing to the 10,000 hours theory through interviews with Ira Glass available on Youtube: http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2008/12/22/finding-a-decent-story-killing-crap-and-reaching-your-potential/

They key quote is: “People get into creative work because they have great taste… but the first couple years that you’re making stuff what you’re making is not that good… but your taste is good enough that you can tell what you’re making is not good enough, it’s kind of a disappointment to you… a lot of people never get past that phase… they quit.”

So I would say that in addition to taking 10,000 hours to START to become successful, another key factor is DON'T QUIT!

[Anwar]

I totally agree with the 10000 hours before you get your grip on the trait. Success come through hard work, determination, goals, master plan and friend who has the same interest who can support you when you are down. Edgar F Robert quoted "Every human mind is a great slumbering power until awaken by a keen desire and a definite resolution to do"

[PRESTONSilvia28]

The home loans suppose to be important for guys, which are willing to ground their company. In fact, this is not hard to get a student loan.

[coach outlet stores]

sounds awesome! and this post is just gorgeous!*

[new jordans]

A friend is, as it were, a second self.

[nike air max]

.I find it difficult to subscribe RSS feeds, bookmark this site anyway I have is a very useful and complete information.1

[home loans]

If you want to buy a car, you would have to get the personal loans. Furthermore, my brother commonly utilizes a short term loan, which supposes to be really rapid.

[mobile roaming]

This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. This is very nice one and gives indepth information. Thanks for this nice article.

[Christian Louboutin Outlet]

I think the point of the title is that people have been clamoring.
There are certainly some people who revert back to juveniles after they mate.
Nothing beats finding some useful information, for my research, keep em coming.

[Christian Louboutin]

There is no resting place for an enterprise in a competitive economy. （Alfred P.Sloan. American businessman）

[Air Jordan Max Fusion]

A excellent dude is invariably ready to acquire little.

[Visvim Footwear]

Once we dreamt that people have been strangers.

[Air Yeezy Sale]

Like the getting together with using the seagulls as well as the waves we encounter and arrive near. The seagulls fly off, the waves roll apart and we depart.

[Nike High Heels]

Someone is coming.

[Christian Louboutin]

Sorry,i don't know how to receive my response, why?

http://www.christianlouboutinshoes-store.com/

[loan]

Some time before, I needed to buy a good house for my corporation but I did not have enough money and couldn't order anything. Thank God my dude proposed to take the credit loans from banks. So, I acted that and used to be happy with my financial loan.

[Asics Tiger Shoes]

The worth of way of life is its impact on character. It avails absolutely nothing unless it ennobles and strengthens that. Its use is for life. Its goal is not splendor but goodness. (Somerset Maugham, British noverlist and dramatist)

[Air Max UK]

mean I just read through the entire article of yours and it was quite good but since I'm more of a visual learner,I found that to be more helpful.

[Nike Air Max]

Wonderful, it is so nice for me to stand at such a great blog of my life, i am really glad to leave my comment here in very decent topic, thank you!

[Ken Griffey Max Fury 2012]

Life such as sea, tolerance for the boat, boating on the sea, we know the sea wide; life as a mountain, tolerance for the tracks, follow tracks climbing, we know the mountain's tall; life Cantabile, tolerance is the song, and music and song, we know the song the sounds.