It’s interesting thinking about what it takes to get good at something.
How much effort goes into achieving something resembling mastery, while balancing that with the rest of what makes us who we are.
I’ve always identified as a dabbler. A lot of things interest me.
As a writer, I’ve always harbored distrust of the Gladwellian rule that says you need 10 thousand hours of practice to become masterful, or truly successful when it comes to your craft.
I see that two ways now:
It a daunting task. I’m intimidated. Practicing anything for 10,000 hrs require discipline. It’s not untrue that I’m interested in all these various aspects of life: art, food, music, travel, relationships, meditation, but I do realize that I might be spreading myself thin. I know there’s work to do (craft).
And secondly, it’s about what I uniquely bring to the table. Honoring my varied interests and experiencing as much as I can gives me the ability to describe life with words. I’m an experience junkie, so variety is key. It’s what makes me feel alive. I know there’s more to experience (perspective).
When it comes down to it, it’s great to dabble.
I also see the value of honing a craft.
I just hope to manage that better, giving myself the time to practice while staying open to new roads.
So, do you dabble or hone? And what does that tendency say about you?
The questions we ask ourselves give glimpses into what we face when making our mark. These 5 in particular:
What will I be known for?
What do people think of when they think of me?
How do I make people feel?
Will I be judged if I don’t become a master?
Will people see my skill?
Regardless of the answers, fear of not accomplishing something can’t keep us from trying.
We’ll probably have to both dabble & hone. I wish us luck.