Tuesday 25 November 2008

10,000 hours

Apparently this is the magic figure to be an expert at something. Research has been donw into Outliers who are the high achievers, the best, the brightest, and the most successful people. Basically the difference between them and others is a magical 10,000 hours of practice by the time they are 20. This goes for all different field, from Bill Gates in computers who spent a lot of his free time in High School programming, to professional musicans - the Beatles being a prime example who have played live more than most other bands - and of course sportspeople. Look at Lewis Hammilton, he has been driving since he was at primary school, he probably had amassed the magical 10,000 hours by the time he started in formula one.

In conclusion you just need to practice practice practice. Those of us out on our bikes all through the winter whatever the weather will have the advantage in the long run as we will reach the magical 10,000hours sooner.

8 comments:

  1. I once rode the MTL twice in a day. That felt like 10,000 hours.

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  2. Twice in a day, isn't it meant to take all day to get round once?

    Anyway any ideas I want to go exploring on thursday, somewhere that I can ride to from Bolton that I haven't riden, any ideas on some good rides?

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  3. Peel Tower/Irwell Vale/Edenfield/Gin Croft Lane/Rooley Moor to Waterfoot then round the red at Lee Quarry then back again.

    That'd be a good day out.

    The MTLx2 thing was a training ride for the Cristalp. I wouldn't advise you did it unless you had a very high tolerance of wooden gates.

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  4. Yes I had heard a mention of gates on the loop, thanks for the ideas, I'll be looking at maps later.

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  5. I did it once in a day and that was enough! Someone I know keeps wanting to do it twice in a day but I'm not that daft. I didn't think there were that many gates but I did it in a group and we took turns opening them. Rooley Moor Road always seems to be my personal hell!

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  6. I've plotted a route for thursday that takes in Rooley Moor Road so I'll see how I get on! It's somewhere I haven't riden so it'll be good navigation practice.

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  7. The only problem is ... I'm well past 20. :-( So is there a point in keeping practising?

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  8. I'm the wrong side of 20 as well, so that probably means you will have to leave your olympic hopes behind. But keep going as once you reach that magical 10,000 hours you will start winning everything in sight! (They say its about ten years so I have nine to go!)

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