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In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell reveals why some people achieve extraordinary things.
One undeniable factor is the 10,000 hour rule.
Whether it’s Mozart, the Beatles, or Bill Gates, all extraordinary achievers put in a minimum of 10,000 hours developing their skills.
And there are no exceptions.
This doesn’t mean that talent isn’t a factor.
You must have some innate talent.
Assuming a minimum base of talent, though, what takes you from good to great is how hard you work.
Gladwell says, “The people at the top don’t just work harder or much harder. They work much, much harder.”
To succeed in sport, you don’t focus on making yourself rich or famous.
You don’t even focus on winning most of the time.
You focus on becoming world class – an outlier – at your sport.
“I’d Never Do That Much Work”
When I was 18, I wanted to become the best player in the world at my sport.
I put together an elaborate binder that included:
-A 21 page essay on how I could improve my skills
-Monthly, weekly and daily fitness regimens
-Goals for shooting sessions and practices
-Mental toughness training strategies for each week
The binder was my ‘Bible’ until I was named captain of Team Canada ten years later.
I kept my binder a secret until a talented young player asked me for help making the National Team.
She studied it and finally confessed, “It looks great, but to be honest, I’d never do that much work.”
There are two things about this story that are important.
First, notice the dates.
By 18, I had been already been practising for ten years.
By 28, when I reached my goal, I had another ten years under my belt.
I had definitely reached the 10,000 hour mark (it often takes about ten years, but it took me twenty).
Second, the commitment.
My young friend loved her sport.
She just didn’t love it as much as I did.
That’s why she experienced my binder as “work”.
If I thought I was “working” in my 10,000 hours, I probably wouldn’t have done it.
Which is why her path was the right one for her.
She became a world class athlete with a huge list of accomplishments that made her happy.
Every goal is a personal choice.
But you do need to excel at what matters most to YOU – and that means you need superior technique.
To get superior technique, you need to understand how your mind affects your training. Practice doesn’t make perfect – only perfect practice makes perfect.
And perfect practice – the kind that truly transforms your skills from good to great – means knowing what to focus on while you’re training.
And there won’t be “work” involved.
It will seem like play to you.
That’s the secret to the 10,000 hours.
I want you to succeed. It’s why I created the Courage to Win in Sport Ebook. It reveals a proven mental toughness formula for reaching your potential as an athlete and performing under pressure.
You can even try it for seven days FREE. Go here:
www.thecouragetowin.com/sportebook
You can also sign up for free mental toughness tips too.
Your friend,
Lisa B.