For centuries, philosophers have tried to unravel the mystery of genius. One of the most popular psychological myths of recent years is the idea that it takes hard work and 10 hours of practice to be spectacularly successful in any field. Psychologist Daniel Goleman is ready to argue with this and offers his keys to success.
The “10 Hour Rule” – which is considered the secret to success in any business – has become the main commandment of coaches around the world. Bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman, says this is a misconception. “This rule is only half true,” he writes in his latest book, Focus: On Attention, Distraction, and Success in Life.
The secret to consistent progress is not the amount of time you put in, but the quality of it. If you’re a bad golfer and repeat the same mistakes every time, 10 hours of bad luck won’t improve your game. You’ll still be a bad golfer – unless you get a little older. The leading success factor, according to the author, is conscious practice, that is, training, during which your attention reaches its maximum concentration. Often this requires the accompaniment of an experienced expert, coach or mentor.
Feedback loops allow you to identify errors as they occur and correct them in a timely manner
Another crucial element is feedback loops, which allow you to spot errors as they occur and correct them in a timely manner (for example, ballerinas dance in front of a mirror).
Daniel Goleman writes: “Ideally, the feedback comes from a professional expert. No wonder every world-class athlete has a personal trainer. If you practice without being judged by experts, you won’t get into the lead.”
So, feedback and high concentration of attention are as important as time costs. In addition, try to avoid extraneous thoughts: a relaxed “way of thinking” only reduces the effectiveness of deliberate practice.
Daniel Goleman explains: “Extraneous thoughts are harmful: those who watch TV during training do not perform well. Full concentration of attention stimulates the brain’s processing of information, strengthens synaptic connections, and expands or builds neural networks. At least at first. But as you hone a skill, constant practice transfers control of it from the “downward system” of conscious attention to the “upstream” neural circuits. So your skill becomes automatic.”
If you claim to be a genius, you must constantly switch from autopilot to an active form of attention.
This is where the difference between amateurs and professionals arises. You have reached the so-called “satisfaction plateau” and maximum automatism, and your professional growth has stalled. “If you claim to be a genius, then you must constantly switch from autopilot to an active, corrective form of attention,” explains the psychologist.
Amateurs are incredibly happy when something starts to work out. After about 50 hours of learning – skiing or driving – most of us begin to achieve quite good results, performing the necessary actions with little or no effort. We no longer feel the need for deliberate practice and want to enjoy what we have been able to master. No matter how many hours we spend in this mode, our progress has stopped there.
The best of the best never stop learning
Experts, on the other hand, use a descending mode of concentration, deliberately refusing automatic reactions. They actively focus on those movements that require improvement, and catch every word of criticism from the lips of an experienced coach. The best of the best never stop learning.
Nevertheless, a reasonable question arises: how many hours of “deliberate practice” do we need per day? After all, focused attention, like muscles, fails from overexertion.
According to Daniel Goleman, world-class champions, whether they’re pianists or weightlifters, train for about 4 hours a day. But nothing more: they use the rest of the time for rest and restoration of physical and mental activity.
About the Developer
Daniel Goleman – writer, psychologist, science journalist, author of more than 10 books on psychology.