September 17, 2023
It is said that spending 10,000 hours in deliberate practice of something will make one a master of that thing. While Googling the subject, one article mentioned how most grabbed hold of the 10,000 hours and ignored the "deliberate practice" part. I gave this some thought. I guess I am a master of sleeping. I've spent at least 10,000 hours on that, and yet, some nights, I don't sleep well. If I'm only counting hours, I'm a master of reading. I've cross stitched for over 30 years and may have mastered that. I would like to believe that I am a master teacher. I did put in the hours, and I was deliberately trying to teach well. (I'm sure I graded papers for 10,000 hours, but I never wanted to master grading, and I'm sure my former students don't think I did.)
I love making lists and setting goals. Love checking things off. Accomplishing in a visible form. My desire to create, appreciate, and understand art has been a fairly recent discovery in my life, but one on which I want to focus. And I asked myself if I was willing to spend 10,000 deliberate hours practicing, learning, and appreciating art.
I was invited to take part in a social art sculpture. (www.petry.eu/social-dada)
Four small forms were sent to me, and I was to transform them using my own creativity
and then send one to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, two back to the organizer of the project in Spain, and keep one for myself. I spent at least 10 hours on these. That's .001 of my 10,000 hours of deliberate practice of art. Do I feel it was worth it? Yes. I experienced joy creating these. I cut and re cut, copied images, tried this and tried that before actually gluing anything down. I learned a great deal in this 10 hours.
This morning, while thinking about various things on which I might have spent 10,000 hours, I wondered if I have spent 10,000 hours in prayer. At age 60, I would hope so, but how much of it has been deliberate? I pray, but do I actively practice prayer? What would happen if I deliberately focused on Heavenly Father and speaking with Him? What if I forgave others and myself for 10,000 hours? Served others for that long?
I don't believe that Heavenly Father wants us to count the hours, but I do believe He wants us to be more mindful and deliberate in how we treat others and ourselves and in how we interact with Him. So, if I have told you that I will be praying for you, I will try to be better at doing so. Thank you for the prayers offered on my behalf. They are felt and appreciated. Amen.
Please share what you are a master of below in the comments and add your name so others know who you are.
I hope to be a master watercolorist one day. At the moment, I'm merely competent. 10,000 hours, hmmmm...
I do believe I have mastered some form of fire fighting! I have been a firefighter since 1977, but I don't think I've done anything there is to an expert! Things change daily and NO 2 Fire calls are ever the same! Included in that time, I've been a wife, mother, grandmother, great mother, EMT/Paramedic, Communications Supervisor/dispatcher plus numerous other things! 10000 hours for sure!!!
I was deliberately doing my best to teach mathematic. I believe in some areas I am a master teacher of Math. although I have deliberately tried to do my best to parent my children I can’t say I’m a master parent, but maybe a master mother. I love my four children unconditionally and love being a mother. I’m a master planner. I love to plan organize and execute vacations, parties and my school syllabus. There are so many things I should be a master of my now but haven’t been deliberate enough about it.
I asked Google how many years 10,000 hours would be. 1.142 calendar years. I can confidently say I am a master of wasting time mindlessly scrolling the internet. I am a mast of raising a child. I am a master at managing projects and people. Did I master writing? Certainly not crochet. Maybe talking. Maybe loving. Maybe wasting time.
P.S. I can speak from experience that you are a master at grading papers. All your comments on mine were thoughtful. I could tell you actually read what I wrote. Thank you.
I would like to think that after playing various musical instruments, over 9 years, that I used to be a mast of music. With class, practice, lessons and concerts, have I put in 10,000 hours? Perhaps, but I never kept track. It was something I loved and enjoyed. I also love to read, and have probably mastered that over my 50 years of reading. But what I love the most about this post is the part about prayer and being more deliberate and mindful in how we treat others and ourselves. I could certainly use more practice at that.
Carolyn Waite