10,000 Hours of Deliberate Practice
One social researcher called K Anders Ericsson wanted to find out that millions of children start playing violin at the age of 5 in USA. Some of them become world-class performers. What is it that makes some such experts? Is there innate genius, which makes the difference?
So with a group of researchers, he delved into this secret and finally he wrote his research paper called the role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of elite performance. His research revealed that when children are first taught the violin, they are all practicing 3 hours a week. But slowly in two classes later, the better players, they are practicing 6 to 7 hours a week and those who get into the school orchestra are then practicing 15 to 20 hours a week. There are those who do even better, they are then practicing 30 hours a week.
Some of the children by the age of 20, they have already put in 10,000 hours of practice and these are the children who become world-class performers. Not only 10,000 hours of practice, but 10,000 hours of deliberate practice, every time trying to improve, improve, improve.
What is the consequence of this practice?
When you first start doing something, you are consciously incompetent. You are doing it consciously, but you are incompetent. When you practice more, you become consciously competent. When you practice even more, you become unconsciously competent. In other words, the competence is unconscious.
When you first started cycling, you put in your whole effort, you were so conscious, and yet, you fell down. But then as you kept practicing, it became kind of automatic, the pedals were moving. First day you thought I have to move the pedals, and also handle this steering and also look in front and keep my balance, how will I do four things? But then the pedals were moving. They were not moving automatic, but the habit had become deep. When you did even more practice, you could even release the handles and you were balancing and riding the bicycle. This is how through practice anybody gains expertise.
K Anders Ericsson discovered that under the world-class performers were those who did professional shows, they had put in less practice and there were those who became violin teachers, they had put even less practice.
In other words, they didn’t discover even one person who was world-class but hadn’t put in 10,000 hours of practice. That is when they made their announcement that “practice makes perfect”, which has been validated through extensive research.
So if you want to master any field, you don’t have to be disappointed thinking “I don’t have talent, what will I do?”. You just keep practicing!!
Practice makes perfect! Just like Kumon students complete daily Worksheets, practicing counting and working through problems every day promotes mastery in math and reading. So with your everyday Kumon, you are getting one step closer each day to become a world class performer in any field you choose!
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