By now we’ve all heard the 10,000 hour rule, popularized by Gladwell, Coyle, Colvin, and discovered by research psychologist Anders Ericsson. The essence of the discovery is that to achieve mastery in almost any endeavor whether it’s playing a sport, mastering your art, becoming a world class salesperson, or learning to lead, it takes 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” to get you there.
Hello…
Practicing with your team, of course, is part of the equation. This is why we hold BTL practices with our clients and their teams. Practicing one on one is even more important assuming, in both cases, that you are being led by someone that is down the road toward mastering what you’re after. This is why we practice with our clients once a week. However, according to Ericsson and his research team, the best form of deliberate practice is the kind I’ve been at this morning.
ALONE.
Want to master your interior life? Want to master your role as a parent? Want to master your skill as a salesperson, a lawyer, a barista, a builder, a builder of others, or any other endeavor?
Get comfortable studying on your own. Get comfortable coming in early and staying late. The best deliberate practice is on our own. Few have the discipline. Few want it that bad. Few master their craft.
Are you mastering yours?
BUILT TO LEAD 
Right on! The Best Mentor, Teacher and most Brilliant of Leaders has died to have this one-on-one time with me – so I will never be truly ALONE.
Thanks Karen for your “and.” And, thank you for the great work that you and your team are doing to help the unborn celebrate birthdays. Very cool…