In Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, he writes that to become an expert in anything, it takes about 10,000 hours of hard practice. As it turns out, Andre Agassi’s father had a similar belief:
“My father says that if I hit 2,500 balls each day, I’ll hit 17,500 balls each week, and at the end of one year I’ll have hit nearly one million balls. He believes in math. Numbers, he says, don’t lie. A child who hits one million balls each year will be unbeatable.”
Though extreme, Mr. Agassi’s philosophy proved to be true and Andre turned pro at the age of 16, scoring a sweet endorsement deal with Nike soon thereafter.
This emphasis on practice is relevant to anyone who’s chasing a dream. The fact of the matter is: any dream takes A LOT of hard work. Most people who achieve their dreams do so, not by accident, but through years of dedicated practice. It’s easy to look at someone like Andre Agassi, who seemed to appear on the tennis scene out of thin air with the skills of a prodigy, and assume that he just picked up a tennis racket one day and discovered that he was awesome. What most people never realize is how much practice it actually took for him to get there.
How are you “practicing” for your dreams?
Read along! This month we’re reading Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi.
For me, I make a point to write every day. Some days flow better than others, but I make a point to sit with the project I am currently working on (book or article) and–at the very least when absolutely nothing seems to flow–write one sentence a day.
I’ve used this approach to get through everything in life. When I went to school, it was one class at a time. When I was ill, it was one treatment or doctors appointment at a time. As I’ve been writing my first book, it’s been one chapter at a time.
I think many people get caught up in the enormity of what it takes to acheive a goal. If they just approached it one step at a time, they would eventually achieve what they want.
My Mother is the one who instilled the one-step-at-a-time thought process in me as a child and it’s been something that has stuck with me through my life. It has helped me get through the toughest of times and also helped me accomplish anything I’ve ever set out to do. (Thanks Mom!)
Everything takes work. Success in any aspect of life does not just come out of the blue-it takes effort and dedication.
Christina,
Your wisdom couldn’t have come at a better time. Seriously. As you know, I’ve been working on finishing the manuscript for my second novel and this past week has been absolutely treacherous from a progress perspective. I’ve lost the flow that I’ve been coasting on for the last 70,000 words and now I feel panicky. As you said, I’m getting caught up in the enormity of it. Your advice reminds that even if I only write one sentence a day, that’s still progress.
Thanks for sharing your wise words!
Erika
Erika, humbly, I write five blogs a day. Everyday.
This is a serious time and emotions investment.
There is no shortcut to carving out a voice on a crowded planet.
Maybe you could try doing something completely different to recharge your passion, and discard your panic.
Do not give up.
You have worked too hard and too long to give up.
Find your solution. It’s closer than you think. And simpler too.