How do you become successful?

Rewrote Unix: the operating system of Macs Co-founder Sun Microsystems Wrote software which we use to access internet Wrote Java computer language “ the Edison of the internet Bill Joy Spent hours programming Sometimes 8-10 hours a day University of Michigan kept computer rooms open 24 hours

Rewrote Unix: the operating system of Macs

Co-founder Sun Microsystems

Wrote software which we use to access internet

Wrote Java computer language

“ the Edison of the internet

Spent hours programming

Sometimes 8-10 hours a day

University of Michigan kept computer rooms open 24 hours

Violinists at Berlin’s Academy of Music How many hours have you practiced for, since you began? 10,000 hours 8,000 hours 4,000 hours Unlikely to be professional musicians Merely ‘good’ Had potential to be world class Divided at age of 20

Researchers have studied composers basketball players fiction writers ice-skaters concert pianists chess players master criminals They all have something in common

composers

basketball players

fiction writers

ice-skaters

concert pianists

chess players

master criminals

Excellence at a complex task requires a critical, minimum level of practice. 10,000 hours approx

How much is 10,000 hours? 3 hours a day over 10 years or 20 hours a week over 10 years “ No one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery” Daniel Levitin, Neurologist

3 hours a day over 10 years

or

20 hours a week over 10 years

“ No one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery”

Daniel Levitin, Neurologist

Mozart Started playing at age of 6 But much of early work not good compared to other composers First ‘masterpiece’ age of 21 (i.e. had been composing for more than 10 years)

Started playing at age of 6

But much of early work not good compared to other composers

First ‘masterpiece’ age of 21 (i.e. had been composing for more than 10 years)

Chess To become a chess grandmaster At least 10 years Only Bobby Fischer did it in less (9 years)

To become a chess grandmaster

At least 10 years

Only Bobby Fischer did it in less (9 years)

How do some people put in 10,000 hours? Enjoy it Want to learn Parents push them They push themselves Use opportunities available to them Sacrifice other things

Enjoy it

Want to learn

Parents push them

They push themselves

Use opportunities available to them

Sacrifice other things

“Revenge of the Nerds”

The Beatles 1960: still struggling to find success Hamburg, Germany Over 2 years and 3 trips: 207 nights Playing together for 5 or more hours a night Sometimes played for 8 hours straight 7 days a week

1960: still struggling to find success

Hamburg, Germany

Over 2 years and 3 trips: 207 nights

Playing together for 5 or more hours a night

Sometimes played for 8 hours straight 7 days a week

Bill Gates Easily bored at school Programming became an obsession By age 20 he had been programming for well over 10,000 hours

Easily bored at school

Programming became an obsession

By age 20 he had been programming for well over 10,000 hours

These are people who were given an opportunity to work really hard and seized it.

Success is no accident Conscious Deliberate An Effort Success is …

Conscious

Deliberate

An Effort

Success is …

This presentation Newspaper article read a year ago and filed away Two and a half hours at weekend Was it worth that amount of time? I will perhaps never know.

Newspaper article read a year ago and filed away

Two and a half hours at weekend

Was it worth that amount of time?

I will perhaps never know.

Success is no accident Conscious Deliberate An Effort Success is …

Conscious

Deliberate

An Effort

Success is …