This article may be one of the most difficult you will ever read. If you are a committed believer in astrology and unicorns and you despise complex data, this article may very well make you sick.
In 1993 an article was published in the journal, Psychological Review, titled, The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance. Out of that one study sprouted the well-known “rule” featured in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers: “It takes 10,000 hours of practice to master _____ (fill in your desired area of ‘mastery’)!”
We’ve all heard that line.
Question: Would you like to know who really LOVES to cite the “It takes 10,000 hours…” line?
Answer: Motivational gurus, internet/social media experts, and anyone selling a program or system that provides training.
Why do they love that line?
In short, telling their flock that “mastery” is beyond arm’s length keeps their audience chasing the carrot. In other words, the farther the goal and the greater the perceived complexity, the greater the likelihood the self-proclaimed guru can create anxiety. They can produce enough fear and insecurity such that their flock will follow the guru to the ends of the Earth (and continue to allow the guru to ping their credit card).
One study from 1993 has seemingly caused success paralysis; it has stopped many people in their tracks from pursuing their passion and, in some cases – their dreams. By the way, you’ll notice I put the word “mastery” in quotes. The reason: “mastery” is an illusion. As you continue through this article, you’ll understand what I mean.
Bursting The Fallacy
A single study or even multiple studies (if they existed…LOL) suggesting “mastering” anything – regardless of what it is, requires a certain amount of time – is completely nonsensical and ridiculous. As someone who enjoys exploring valid research, I can tell you there’s absolutely NO VALIDITY to any claim that “mastery” – of anything requires X amount of time for EVERY individual. For example, you and I could attempt to master the piano. It might take me 50,000 hours (probably more), but it might take you only 100 hours. It might take the person down the street only 50 hours. We’re all different, so who can say?
What if mastery wasn’t actually “mastery?” What if “mastery” was just a bunch of subjective BS? Psssssst…that’s what it is — BS. I’m curious — exactly WHO is it that’s been given the right to proclaim “mastery”…of anything? Going back to the piano example, how would we know if we had achieved “mastery” of the piano? Is there a piano “mastery” committee out there? Think about those questions for a minute.
In my decades of consulting and speaking, I’ve met countless individuals who believe it’ll take a significant amount of time to master whatever it is they’re looking to master. These individuals are stuck deep down in a well due to the belief that they need “mastery” to be successful and that “mastery” is well beyond reach.
If “mastery” is even moderately critical for success, how long would it or does it take? The person who told you “mastery” takes X number of hours may be sharing their own experience – if they have – in fact, achieved “mastery.” Perhaps they’re projecting their beliefs? Many individuals have achieved excellence without putting in the hours. It’s true. Maybe they’ve reached “mastery” but have not yet received their “mastery” certificate or “mastery” crown?😆
Breaking The Chasm
It appears that many speakers, writers, and even self-proclaimed “gurus” (since we could very well have this discussion about “guru” status) are afraid you will see through the veil of “mastery.”
Why?
Without the mastery chasm, there is less distance between them and us. In other words, if “mastery” was nothing more than bullsh*t, WE could be like THEM sooner than later. In other words, if it became known that WE didn’t necessarily have to put in our 10,000 hours or even 100 hours, more people would likely make a sincere effort to attain their goals and fulfill their dreams. Right? RIGHT! There would be more people out there getting off their couch and going after the attainable rather than living a life of despair and believing that it can’t be done in a certain amount of time.
“Without the mastery chasm, there’s less
distance between them and us.”
Consider the following example:
I have an acquaintance who has been a college professor (teaching marketing) for nearly forty years. This individual doesn’t love what he does for a living and admits he’s not a very good teacher. I second his assessment. He’s terrible. Still, he’s been at it for forty years and has put in his 10,000 hours. Is that “mastery?”
I have a friend who decided to learn how to play piano by investing in an online self-teaching program. She had never played a musical instrument in her life (except for the recorder in grade school). Local piano instructors told her it would take her a decade to achieve excellence and decades to achieve mastery. Mind you, she works full-time and has two kids under the age of 14. In less than two years, she has attained a level of success that – in my opinion, is nothing short of incredible. Has she achieved “mastery?” Maybe. Interestingly, she enrolled in the online self-teaching program because the piano instructors established a well-defined chasm between where she was and where she wanted to be. The wider the chasm, the greater the potential for creating anxiety.
“The wider the chasm, the greater
potential for creating anxiety.”
A suggestion of “mastery” is the primary tool of the insecure. I see it ALL the time. Someone who has invested many hours into becoming very good at doing ONE thing is often the first person to stand up and say, “I’ve spent the better part of my life focusing on this ONE thing, and I can tell you that this is HOW you achieve mastery! If you’re a jack of all trades, you’re a master of none!!!”
Really?
Not so fast.
What if I could achieve “mastery” one-tenth of the time? It sucks for that person. For example, is it true that someone who is a self-proclaimed sushi master (or proclaimed by others…for whatever reason) is superior to someone who also knows how to do sushi AND pasta? Can you be better at doing two things than someone who has focused on one? Absolutely! You could be better at five different things than five people who have claimed “mastery” in their respective field, profession, art, skill, or ability.
Mastery Meets Reality
Assumptions and implications about “mastery” are simply incorrect…on many levels. There is NO overwhelming cause-effect data that states, “Mastery of a skill or an ability must take ____ (amount of time).” If anyone attempts to tell you otherwise, do the following:
1). Send them the link to this article.
2). Have them cite peer-reviewed, scientific articles (plural) that prove me wrong.
Bursting the balloon of “mastery” is terrible news for self-proclaimed experts and gurus. Believe me, if they’re selling “mastery,” they DO NOT want this news to get out. Shhhhhhhhh!
Making matters worse for the self-proclaimed experts and gurus, there is NO data out there stating, “Doing something for a longer period makes you better.” Forty years of being a lousy teacher are forty years of being a terrible teacher. It’s certainly not “mastery.” The most significant blow to self-proclaimed experts and gurus is there’s NOTHING out there that indicates a person is somehow lacking the ability to learn how to become exceptional at anything in a relatively short amount of time.
One of my favorite lines is from the Eagles’ song, Already Gone; “So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key.” We are often our prison guards.
“There’s NOTHING out there that indicates a person is somehow lacking the ability to learn how to become exceptional at anything in a relatively short amount of time.”
If I claim to achieve mastery at something, and you are starting on your journey in – let’s say, the sixth decade of your life, I can use “mastery” as a weapon to create a wider chasm. The vast chasm will generate anxiety and feed insecurity. In response, you will spend good money after bad – investing in multiple tools to close the chasm. Your guru will sell you a system, add-ons, and perhaps even a membership into an insider’s club – all with the implied promise that it will shorten the time for you to go from where you are to where THEY are.
What THEY don’t want you to believe is you could achieve your dreams and even surpass THEIR skills and abilities…in a shorter amount of time than them AND be even better. Remember this: Success in anything requires a plan, but there is no defined timeline.
In the meantime, do yourself a favor and stop listening to anyone talking about “mastery” and how “mastery” is attainable by purchasing their systems. “Mastery” is a game, and WE are better than that. Have a great day!