10,000 hours

While on vacation I read the book Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. The book was quite compelling as the author took what he called "outliers" (those who rise to the top either in sports, business, intellect, etc.) and looked at how 'they got there' and in each case. He offered a hypothesis that it wasn't "what you thought".

I am never really good at summarizing books especially if they are complex and have many different facets to them...so I'll pick the most compelling bit for me in the book...it is his concept that if you accumulate 10,000 hours at something that is what will push you ahead "of the rest". Of course there is opportunity, zeitgeist etc that also factors in, but the number of hours spent doing what it is that makes you great at what you do is what helps for the 'cream to rise to the top'. For example, because of Bill Gates good fortune, he had access to sophisticated computers to program on at an early age (so his birthdate and his "luck" are some factors) but the thing that made the difference between being a kid interested in computers and someone who defined the software industry is the sheer number of hours he programmed. In Gladwell's book, he tells of how Mr. Gates would spend all his waking hours (and many in which he should be sleeping) programming, and then he'd find other ways and places to program, and then program some more, which then got the attention of the right people who allowed him to program more...and so on and so forth...but if you added up the hours from his early days until he rose to the top, his hours of programming would enter into the 10,000s. So, the theory is that those who get to the 10,000 hour mark (with a few other variables thrown in) are the ones who are likely to be successful at what they do.

So, what have I spent 10,000 hours doing? My first inclination is watching television. I say that a little 'tongue and cheek' but really I don't quite know what/if I have a 10,000 hour "skill"....and Gladwell did his research post hoc (meaning they already had been successful) so I'm not sure if you can pre load your 10,000 hours to move you toward greatness BUT I do believe that if you spend time doing stuff you love and you do more and more of it...you will rise to 'something' that will be fulfilling and possibly, possibly will also give you recognition...but I would argue to set out on a 10,000 hour journey solely focused on the task would be a) unfulfilling b) wouldn't account for other things like luck, timing, LIFE etc. c) and what if they are the "wrong" hours to spend?

What are you spending 10,000 hours doing? Are they the 10,000 hours that you want? (and lets try to add the word meaningful...which is something else he purports as key). Right now my 10,000 hours are a bit of a mix of learning, reading, practicing all that is coaching/self help. That feels good, it is interesting, I am "in the flow" and I get my energy with it, so even if at the moment I don't have my sights on "rising to the top" but doing meaningful work and making a difference...I'll keep on that path. Again I ask, what are your 10,000?