The 10,000-hour rule

That's too bad. As a guy who came into this biz as a sportswriter I can't fathom someone leaving a senior writer position before they turn 40, but with Epstein I figure it is a case of new mountains to climb.

 

See, I'm opposite of you. I couldn't imagine wasting that combination of talent and curiosity on sports.

(Or any narrow subject area, really. I would not be a candidate to test the 10,000-hour rule in something.)

 

Oh I agree. He obviously has talent out the gills. It's just those senior writer jobs at SI are always viewed as dream gigs (Though it does seem there have been more than a few leaving in the past decade for other gigs)
Perhaps his next chapter will include convincing all Americans global warming is actually a real thing. Or better yet, solving it.

 

The number you probably should think of is 20,000.

 

Gladwell's going to have to write another clarifying essay:

http://adequateman.deadspin.com/malcolm-gladwells-10-000-hour-rule-is-essentially-mea-1781601692

 

I thought for sure you came here to make a crack about YF's proficiency at message-boarding.

 

10,000 hours here worked for him. Advantage, Gladwell.

 

I'm not sure linking 10,000 tweets counts.

 

Golf acquaintance the other day brought this up. This guy's a 15-handicapper (and that's as low as he's ever been). He passionately argued that if he could just find the 10,000 hours to devote to practice/instruction, he'd be a scratch golfer.

I apologized to the card room attendant for the beer I sprayed during my paroxysm of laughter.

 

This comment sums my take on Gladwell:

"Malcolm Gladwell is what stupid people think smart people sound like.”

He cons readers into thinking he's delivering brilliant pearls of insight, when his theories are generally oversimplified bunk riddled with holes. The 10K hour rule was always such nonsense. In virtually EVERY endeavor--be it in music, sports, science, whatever--genetic predisposition plays a huge role in determining what it takes to achieve greatness. It's ludicrous to suggest there's some precise hour count that applies equally to all.

 

Your friend sounds like a delusional version of me. I could spend 40,000 hours on the range and take lessons every season and never be close to as good as some friends who put very little effort into it.