Recently I started to pour through Malcolm Gladwell's new book 'Outliers.' It's a fairly good read overall and definitely an improvement over 'Blink', and back up to the calibre of 'The Tipping Point.' One of the ideas which really hit home for me is his concept that mastery is probable through repetition - consistent repetition; and in Gladwell's telling the consistency needs to be repeated for approximately ten thousand hours for the individual to achieve an ease and comfort with the skill or talent. Which has me thinking about where in my life have I achieved mastery. Given that I don't judge these areas as either positive or negative and rather take a purely scientific approach; they are what they are. I came up with the following list:
I'm A Master Of:
Eating
Bathing
Observing people for subtle body clues and changes in their patterns of speech and behaviour
Sleeping
Synthesizing and expressing ideas and opinions
Observing and connecting ideas and patterns which on the surface don't appear to connect
Helping people with their emotional pain so I can ensure my safety
Meeting my needs of loving and being loved; growing my self worth and being worthy to others
Belonging
Moving towards and moving away from intimacy
Walking
Fathering
What's your list - what would you claim you are a Master Of?
My greatest triumph!
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Sorry. I can't resist. John Carson, a fellow runner from Canada, unearthed
this photo from the archives of the Toronto Star. It's the finals of the
1500 me...
13 years ago
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2 comments:
Dale.. you ask a very valuable question. I am anxious to see the responses. Many people, I think, will be reluctant to call themselves master of anything at all. We live in a world that simultaneously expects everything and nothing. It can be hard to know where to fit in!
10,000 hours spent on anything in 2008/9 is an age, don't you think! But I believe it is a great priniciple to apply to acheivement!
very interesting site...i can relate to many of your thouhgts...i'm sure we could sit down and continue a conversation, many chapters to review and many more not told...how r u my friend....rick..
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