One Small Step for Humankind

-by Matt Leedham

We’ve all heard about Thomas Edison and his 10,000 failed attempts at making the light bulb sustainable and affordable for all people to use.

We’ve all heard about the work ethic of a Tiger Woods or a Michael Jordan or a Michael Phelps.

There are countless other stories out there that demonstrate persistence, perseverance, and good old hard work.

But we don’t always recognize the small things. We don’t always see the tiny actions that so many of us take on a daily, and sometimes hourly basis, to make progress.

I’ve come to realize that movement is essential to progress. Every great achiever has something in common. They tried.

That’s it.

They tried. And then tried again. And again. And again. They tried over and over again until they started to get better and people started to recognize their “talent.” Over time, people start talking about the work ethic, the effort, the focus.

But it all starts with that first moment. That first attempt to do something.

Think about it. How can you improve upon something you’ve never done before? You can’t. You can only mull it over in your head for so long.

Take that first step, friends. Get out there and give it a try.

What’s the first step, you ask? You could click on the video below…

Tell us how you will take action today and try something new, or something you’ve always wanted to try. Leave a comment below.

From Disappointment to Triumph

-by Matt Leedham

Before we begin, I have one note:

This post was difficult for me to write as I tend to smooth over the rough edges in my life in an effort to make everything look perfect. My triathlon experience was not perfect, and swallowing my pride to tell you about it wasn't easy. But I hope you gain some knowledge or inspiration from my story. If you do, then it was all worth it.

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Yesterday, Jaime outlined her experience at the Luray Sprint Triathlon. I’m very proud of her accomplishments. She did great and finished strong. Very impressive!

Going into the race, I think we’d both admit that I was the more confident one about our abilities. I was just eager to get out there and enjoy the experience.

Everything leading up to the start of the race further confirmed my excitement. The town was buzzing with excitement the night before the race when we picked up our race packets and had dinner. The next morning, I was awake at 5:00AM running around to get ready. Pulling up to Arrowhead Lake in Luray, I felt energetic seeing all the people, the tents, the lake, the mountains, the finish line, etc.

I couldn’t wait!

I racked my bike in the transition area, completely unsure of what I was doing. I had to look around to see how others set up their stations, and then I just copied them. I met up with Jaime and Brian and headed down to the lake, barefoot and shirtless. I had my swim cap on, which I’ve never worn before, and started stretching.

I saw my wife up on an embankment and waved to her as she took pictures. I gave Brian and Jaime high-fives and fist-pounds and waded out into the water. I took a few short practice strokes to warm up and then lined up with the other swimmers in wave 1; the youngest, fasted wave. I waved to my wife one more time and then the air horn sounded. Everyone took off, including me!

Then, what happened next is almost indescribable…

Total meltdown.

You see, I had never practiced swimming in open water before. I could swim 20-25 laps in the pool comfortably, but had never found the time or opportunity to swim in a lake. As you might imagine, things are a little different in a lake.

For one, there is a wind. This creates mild choppiness in the water. Not normally an issue if you are just enjoying a leisurely swim or lounging around in shallow water, but quite different than the glass-like water of your local swimming pool. So, when turning my head for a breath of air, sometimes I would be met by a small swell of water, which then filled my mouth. When you receive water instead of air, it’s a little alarming.

Secondly, there are hundreds of people all around you kicking and stroking, splashing and causing a commotion. It’s not uncommon to be kicked in the face or the chest. Again, alarming and concerning.

Thirdly, and this is not unique to open water swimming, but it was race day and as I mentioned before, the energy was high. My adrenaline was pumping and I took off. I swam the first 200 meters quickly and then realized I was completely fatigued. I was huffing and puffing and couldn’t catch my breath. I was almost hyper-ventilating (I’ve come to learn that this is normal for rookies). I looked around. The shore was not close. I was only 1/3 of the way toward the finish and in deep water, struggling for air.

I’m in the middle of the lake, completely exhausted and starting to panic. Facing one of two options here (1 – to live, 2 – to not live), I did what I had to do. I looked for help.

As any good event would, there were plenty of safety personnel around. There were lifeguards and volunteers in boats every 200 meters or so. I struggled my way to the closest boat and grabbed on, breathing heavily.

The lifeguard in the boat was very calm and said, “Is this your first open water swim?” I said, “Yep.” He replied, “Take your time, man. You’ll be alright.”

His demeanor was appropriate, but his estimation was incorrect.

After a minute of catching my breath, I thought to myself, “I better get going again or I’ll be the last one in the lake.” I knew that after 40 minutes they would be calling it quits, pulling people out of the water, so I decided to go for it, knowing that another boat was only 200 meters away.

I went for it again, but ran into the same issue. Hyper-ventilating. I flipped on my back and tried to paddle slowly, hoping to catch my breath. It didn’t happen. I looked for the next boat and grabbed on.

By now I was frustrated and dejected. How could this be happening? What the heck is wrong with me?

After a minute, I tried again. Same issue. I grabbed a kayak.

After a minute, I tried again. This time noticing that the last wave of swimmers was catching up to me. I couldn’t make it, and grabbed onto a 4^th boat.

Almost sad now, I didn’t think I had it in me to finish. There were no more boats between me and the finish of the swim. I told the woman in the boat that I didn’t think I could do it. She told me that I could and that they’d keep an eye on me.

I let go and went for it. Side stroking with everything I had, taking mouthfuls of water every third stroke. I tried not to keep looking at where I was going. “Just go!” I said to myself. “Just keep moving.”

I finally looked ahead and saw that people were standing up in the water and running out of the lake…they were just 100 meters away. I gave it everything I had.

I can’t describe the feeling I had when my feet hit the first stones at the bottom of the lake. I reached down to check, and sure enough, it was solid ground. I stood up, exhausted. I couldn’t believe I had made it.

I tried to run out of the water, but could barely do it. When I reached the beach, I was able to pick up a slight jog. My wife was right there cheering for me. Well, if I’m being honest, she looked concerned and asked if I was alright. I just shook my head and tried to carry on.

Ahead of me was a wooden staircase that went up a steep hill toward the transition area. I started running up the stairs and then disaster struck again.

Like a bolt of lightening, my right calf muscle seized up, spasming with such force that I halted half way up the stairs. I couldn’t believe it. “This never happens to me!”

I rarely have muscle cramps, but I was having one at a very inopportune time. I grabbed the railing and tried to hyperextend my ankle, stretching my calf.

Meanwhile, there was a crowd of people at the top of the stairs cheering their heads off with vuvuzelas and cow bells. The first thing that crossed my mind was, “These people must think I’m crazy for stopping half way up the stairs.”

The cramp calmed down and I jogged into the transition area, confused and disoriented. I downed a GU, and chugged some water. I dried my feet and put my socks on, this time my glutes (butt) started cramping. Argh!

I finally got geared up, grabbed my bike, and started jogging out of the transition area. I hopped on my bike and started pedaling.

To both of our surprise, I saw Jaime. She was also just starting to bike. Believe it or not, she completed the swim and transition in the same time, even though she started over 9 minutes after me. She was killing it!

I said, “J, everything fell apart in the lake. I was grabbin’ on boats!” She said, “Just go!”

I did what she said and took off. I had been training for the bike portion for some time and felt comfortable. I started to cruise and then hit the first hill.

Like a snail, I made it to the top.

Then I flew downhill for some time. This was the first opportunity I had to not exert myself. What I did next still makes me smile.

I laughed.

And I laughed hard. Almost hysterically! For the first time, my mind had slowed down enough that I was able to think about my experience in the lake. I literally let out a bellow…a laugh to be heard for miles. I shouted out, “What the heck was that!?!” I just shook my head, kept laughing, and pedaled on.

Cruising through the farmlands of western Virginia, I began to appreciate the scenery. Absolutely gorgeous! Rolling hills, dilapidated barns, livestock, and distant mountains made the ride memorable.

There were some steep hills. Every time I passed someone, I said, “good morning!” They replied excitedly and we both got a burst of energy.

On mile 3 of the 17 mile ride, I was headed up a nice hill and switched into a higher gear. What happened next was unexpected, but given all of my mishaps so far, perhaps should have been expected.

The chain came off the gears and wrapped around the pedal crank.

Going up a steep hill without the chain on the gears means that my pedaling gave me no forward momentum. I was already going so slow that I almost started to roll backward down the hill.

I quickly hopped off and examined the situation. The chain was off and was tight. I said out loud, “How the heck am I going to get this back on?” At that moment, a biker that I had said ‘good morning’ to earlier shouted, “C’mon, you can do it! Get back on the road!”

Luckily, a week before, I saw a bike mechanic deliberately disengage and reengage the chain onto the gears. I moved some things around and was able to finagle the chain back on. More people passed asking if I was okay.

I was okay. And from there on out, I killed the bike course. In fact, I was so grateful for making it this far, that I started to cheer everyone else on. Anytime I passed someone, I would say, “Good morning! You’re doing great!”

Shockingly, they were shocked. They seemed genuinely happy that I would offer such encouragement. I don’t know, but it seemed obvious to me. We were all in this together.

The only moment of real weakness on the bike was on mile 16 when they introduced the last hill. It was VERY steep. Two girls were walking their bike up the hill. Everyone else was swerving and struggling as they pumped away. I put my bike into the highest gear, stood up, and cranked away.

Each rotation took me a couple of feet and then I almost came to a stop. That’s how steep it was. I would not give up. I refused to get off my bike, even though I thought about it every moment. I would NOT get off this bike even if I fell over for lack of forward momentum.

Thankfully, there were fans there at the top of the hill cheering us on. They had cowbells and horns and were hooting and hollering. They would not let me quit and I love them for it.

I made it over that last hill and cruised down the other side toward the transition area. I was so happy to see my wife there again, cheering me on. She looked so proud of me.

My transition time was much quicker and I started to run. I saw my wife again, this time taking a picture. She reached out her hand for a high-five and I told her, “I will finish this race, even if it cripples me!”

I ran up and down some hills refusing to walk. After my 2^nd marathon, I adopted a life philosophy and mantra that has served me well – “just keep moving.” I don’t care how slow I’m moving, I refused to stop.

After turning around, and crossing mile 2 on the run course, I saw Jaime bounding down a hill looking lively! We fist-pounded and cheered each other on.

I refused to let anyone pass me. I carried on, completely exhausted. I began to hear the crowd at the lake, waiting for me to finish. Yes, ME! At least that’s what I told myself.

I rounded the final corner, into the park, and I could see the finish line. With a burst of super-natural energy, I sprinted to the finish line. My arms raised, my wife cheering me on, Brian handing me a bottle of water, and the race now over, I had the biggest grin on my face.

After all of the struggles, all of the setbacks, all of the disappointments…I made it. I finished.

10 Lessons Learned:

1. Adapt to change. My entire expectation of the event changed after the swim. I had to carry on.
2. Carry on. Adversity is natural. Carrying on is not…it’s super-natural.
3. Beam positivity. It’s contagious and will carry others on. Unbeknownst to you, this will come full circle. Guaranteed!
4. Appreciate the experience. The beginning of my experience was awful and frightening. But it has made me stronger and I can’t FREAKIN’ wait for the next triathlon to increase my skills.
5. Move forward. “Just keep moving.” Slow down if you need to, but don’t stop.
6. Support is necessary. Having people in your corner to push you forward is critical.
7. Don’t underestimate powers beyond your control. Water, for example, is a powerful, uncompromising force. I can’t control it…I can only respect it.
8. Regardless of how much you train and prepare, you can’t always prepare for the unexpected.
9. Disappointment is a personal issue. Get over your ego and preconceived expectations of the way things “should” be. The sooner you face the reality of the situation, the sooner you’ll find a solution.
10. Believe in yourself. You are powerful and important. You will persevere!

The Price You Pay For Success

-by Matt Leedham

“The price for anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
- Henry David Thoreau

It can be difficult when you are in the “swamp.” That’s the place of origin of something unfamiliar or new. The “swamp” is the place you start when working toward a new goal. It’s a place of murky water, muddy ground, and a quagmire of resistance.

I’m currently in the swamp.

As our regular readers may recall, I set a fairly aggressive goal a few months ago. I committed, publically to the world, that I would be conversational in Korean by October of 2011. As most of you know, or might conclude, I’m not Korean. I have no previous knowledge of Korean other than “hello” and “thank you.” To be conversational was quite the mammoth goal to set.

As it turns out, learning Korean is not easy. Crazy, right?!

It’s true. It’s difficult, and here’s why:

1. The alphabet is not Roman/Latin – it consists of symbols entirely unique to the Western world.
2. The Korean language is known as an SOV language (Subject Object Verb), which is essentially the opposite of English. Meaning, each sentence is spoken “backwards.”
3. There is a particular syllable in Korean that is almost unpronounceable. Seriously, it’s insanely difficult for Americans to pronounce.

As a competitive person that is a self-described high-achiever, not being good at something is very difficult to accept. But as it turns out, you must first be terrible at something before you can be good at it. Here’s a quote from Jaime’s post a few months ago about failing without giving up:

“Here’s the thing – you have to suck first before you get to be good at something. There is no cheat code in life. There is no movie montage through the difficult training that happens first. You literally have to slog through each and every day of being bad at something in order to get good at it.”

In fact, we know that there are no prodigies either. It’s not like it’s possible to be awesome at Korean right away, and I just don’t have the talent. No, even the most talented language learner needs to walk the long path of learning.

The problem lies in my ego. It’s embarrassing to be so terrible at something. I want to impress people with my skills but I just sound ridiculous now. Ego can hold you back in so many ways. It’s another form of judgment. I’m judging the process, I’m judging myself, and I’m judging what others will think of me.

I’ve learned that the quicker I can release those judgments the easier and more enjoyable learning a new skill becomes. I can be proud of my (incremental) progress, and I can appreciate the process of learning because it is so difficult.

In six months when I am actually speaking Korean, I will learn to appreciate this even more. I can tell the story of my “movie montage” through the difficult times. But only I will know how difficult it was and how much focus I needed to slowly become better and better.

Being bad at something is uncomfortable. Failure is uncomfortable. But successful people learn to become very comfortable at this stage. It’s their persistence that is the only difference between ultimate success and failure.

Success is a Journey

-By Jaime Willis

“The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is that I am not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me, you might have me in nine categories. But if we get on a treadmill, two things: you’re getting off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple.” –Will Smith

Born in 1931 to sharecroppers, Carl was destined to fail. He was a southern black man with an 8th grade education growing up during America’s Jim Crow era, where his opportunities were constantly truncated by segregation.

He enlisted in the Navy and was relegated to the kitchen, where the only water he saw was washing dishes. Undaunted, Carl doggedly pursued his goal of becoming a Master Diver in the Navy. He was turned down for diving school more than once before being accepted. He almost dropped out of the school he worked so hard to get accepted into because he was belittled and harassed daily by those who didn’t want any “n----r divers” in the Navy.

Once he graduated from the grueling diving program, he was faced with another serious set-back - passing the educational requirements for divers. He quickly failed his first attempt at “first class school” because he didn’t know the math and science necessary to pass. Brashear spent years studying before re-entering first class and graduating third in his class, when only 50% of his classmates graduated.

Tragedy struck shortly after he became a first class diver. In a salvage rescue operation three years after his graduation, Brashear was seriously injured. In his attempt to get fellow sailors out of harms way when a large crate broke away from the ship, Carl was hit by a flying pipe below the knee. The injury to his leg was so great, he spent two months fighting infection and gangrene. When doctors told him that rehabbing his leg would take two to three years and still would leave him with a shortened leg that would prevent active duty in the Navy, Brashear chose to get his leg amputated below the knee.

Carl chose to cut off his leg before giving up on his dream.

Carl then began his own training regimen to return to active duty. After hours and hours of sneaking out of the Naval hospital for practice dives and strength training, Carl signed his own transfer papers ordering him back to diving school. He spent the next year proving to the Navy that he was fit for active duty.

After becoming reinstated as the first amputee diver in Naval history, Carl turned down other promotions to focus on his goal of becoming a Master Diver, the highest position you can hold in the diving community. Twenty-two years after Carl Brashear joined the Navy, he became the first African American Master Diver in the Navy’s history.

Carl’s story, which you may recall from it’s adaptation in the Cuba Gooding, Jr. movie Men of Honor, is the perfect example of success. Carl was not the smartest guy in the Navy, nor the perfect physical specimen. Brashear was simply the guy that would not quit until he reached his goal. He failed and he failed a lot. Achieving his goal was more than two decades - TWO DECADES - in the making.

Carl understood the formula for success is not about talent and not about being perfect, but about never quitting.

How to be a Survivor

-By Jaime Willis

Three days ago, Northern Japan was the epicenter of one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in modern history. The earthquake has sparked continuing shock waves, multiple tsunamis, a volcanic eruption, and the disruption of several Japanese nuclear power plants (the linked article does a great job of explaining why no nuclear holocaust is imminent).

The Japanese are working to rescue survivors, restore major utility service and begin rebuilding. You can help by contributing to the Red Cross Distaster Relief Fund or texting REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to relief efforts.

No one can fully predict or prepare for this magnitude of natural or unnatural disaster. However, if you are blessed to survive the initial disaster, there *are* things you can do to ensure your continued survival. Interestingly, these same aspects are critical to ensuring your success in completing almost any goal as well.

ATTITUDE

More important than any other single thing, including food, shelter, and water, is your attitude. I shared with you before that having an optimistic attitude is a critical component of healing from major illness. You need to foster the unwavering belief that you WILL survive.

In the bestselling book, Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand writes a biographical account of Louis Zamperini's life as an Olympic track athlete and World War II Survivor. At one point during the war, Zamperini's airplane is downed over the Pacific Ocean; he and two others, Francis "Mac" McNamera, and Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips, survived the crash and boarded life boats, awaiting rescue. The men ended up floating 47 days on the ocean without food, water, or shelter from the sun before landing on an atoll in the Marshall Islands two thousand miles away from their plane crash. Only Louie and Phil survived the trip. As Hillenbrand writes,

"Though all three men faced the same hardship, their differing perceptions of it appeared to be shaping their fates. Louie and Phil's hope displaced their fear and inspired them to work toward their survival, and each success renewed their physical and emotional vigor. Mac's resignation seemed to paralyze him, and the less he participated in their efforts to survive, the more he slipped. Though he did the least, as the days passed, it was he who faded the most. Louie and Phil's optimism, and Mac's hopelessness, were becoming self-fulfilling."

It is clear to me that having a positive outlook is critical to survival. Beyond survival, I believe that optimism is also the first key to achieving ANY goal.

PREPARATION

My dad was a Boy Scout and Eagle Scout and the Boy Scout motto of "Be(ing) Prepared" is practically tattooed into my skull. One of the reasons that the Japanese are faring as well as they are is that they are prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis. While the death toll in Japan is not final, it will be logarithmically less than the smaller earthquake in Haiti last year. This is in large part to the strict building codes in Japan intended to reduce the impact of tremors as well as a national public education campaign on how to quickly move to safety in the case of tsunami.

Louie and Phil had taken a survival course while they were stationed in Honolulu, and therefore knew, for example, that only the liver of the small sharks they caught were edible. The men would have had a much more difficult time surviving in the raft if they were also battling food poisoning or dysentery.

As you begin any project, spend a big chunk of your time on research. If you are starting a company, learn why some companies fail when others succeed. If you are buying a house, learn about all the pitfalls of financing first. Knowing what could come may help you make better decisions when disaster strikes.

RESOURCEFULNESS

Also known as MacGyver's First Law, resourcefulness means that you can think your way past the challenges that face you, despite limited supplies, support, or aid. MacGyver was famous for fashioning solutions out of meager supplies -- duct tape, a paper clip, and his trusty Swiss Army knife.

Louie and Phil were incredibly resourceful as they drifted across the Pacific ocean. Determined to catch some rainwater after three days without water, Louie used a piece of the canvas case in the life raft to form a bowl to catch the water. They used that same cases as hats when the hot sun beat down on them all day long. They ate fish and birds they learned to catch and continued to catch rainwater to reduce their thirst.

When you encounter a challenge where your resources are limited, think of all the ways you can work with the few supplies you do have.

PERSEVERANCE

Perseverance means getting to your breaking point and continuing on anyway. You would think that Louie Zamperini was a survivor after managing to live through 47 days at sea. But this was only the beginning of two years of intense physical and mental hardship as Louie was interred in a prisoner of war camp. The fact that Louie entered POW Camp at a skeletal 80 pounds, it is nothing less than a miracle that he managed to hang on for the next two years of small food rations and incredible disease.

When the going gets toughest, you can't think about tomorrow, or even the next hour. Stay focused on getting through each moment and you will make through all the moments you need to in order to survive and succeed.

You can be a survivor and a succeeder. Start with the right attitude, do your research, get resourceful, and don't be afraid of working hard and you'll see success!

Be Gritty

-by Jaime Willis

Angela Lee Duckworth, Ph.D. has spent the last ten years researching achievement and believes “grit” is what ultimately determines success.


In a recent Tedx Talk, she discussed her research of incoming freshman at West Point in order to quantify their ‘grit,’ which she defines as “tenaciously perusing something over the long term.” The survey asked students to respond to questions like “I finish whatever I begin,” “I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge” versus statements like “My interests change from year to year.”

She found that the 96% students who scored in the highest quartile for grit were able to successfully graduate from West Point. In fact, people who scored highest for grit performed better than the students who were in the highest quartile of the “whole candidate score” which takes into account intelligence, physical prowess, and other factors that West Point believes are attributes of the most ‘talented’ students.

What does this mean for your goals? That tenacity, perseverance, and hard work are far more important in determining your ultimate success than any innate intellectual or physical prowess you may possess.

Do not be afraid! Given enough time and practice, success is yours!

Failure & Courage

- by Matt Leedham

I recently read an ancient proverb that got me thinking about my own fears and anxieties.

“Fear and courage are brothers.”

How true! I would also go so far as to add failure to the equation – surely failure, fear, and courage are all siblings (of a very dysfunctional family).

In a recent post (“Congratulations, You Failed!”), I addressed failure's relationship with success. It would appear that a common trait among the world’s most famous achievers is the ability to fail and keep trying. In fact, the real key to achievement seems to be failing so many times that the average person would give up. But it is at this point that the achiever distinguishes themselves from the average person. It is at this point that the achiever perseveres. He or she learns from the failure one more time…getting just a little closer to success.

But let’s back up for a second and revisit the average person again. I have found, both through personal experience and working with friends and colleagues, that fear of failure is often more of an issue than failure itself. I’m sure you’ve all heard the famous quote made by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 during his inaugural address: “…the only thing we have to fear is, fear itself.” What most people don’t know is that he goes on to say that fear “paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

How true! It is the fear of failure that halts most of our personal progress, achievement, and happiness. If we could all just get comfortable with failure and the fear that comes with the potential of failure, we will have moved mountains in our lives.

So, what it is that allows the great achievers to persevere and the average person to overcome that fear of failure? In one word: courage.

I challenge you to be courageous today. No, that doesn’t mean you need to charge off into the battlefield with reckless abandon like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Be courageous in your own little way. Look within yourself and identify the fear that sits behind your doubt. What is it about? How can you face that fear today? In what small way can you take one step forward?

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try

again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher

Believe it. Achieve it

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Please feel free to comment on our posts, email us and ask questions, or forward blog posts on to your friends. We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading.

10,000 Hours of Work to Succeed, 10,000 Hours of Work...

- by Jaime Willis

One of the main premises of Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book, “Outliers,” is that success has much less to do with our innate skills and abilities and much more to do with hard work and practice. Gladwell goes so far as to quantify the amount of hard work required to be successful: 10,000 hours.

“The emerging picture from [research on expertise and talent] is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—in anything.” Daniel Levitin, quoted on page 40 of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

Gladwell illustrates this principle with a 1990’s study by psychologist K. Anders Ericsson. Ericsson asked two colleagues at Berlin’s elite Academy of Music to divide the school’s violinists into three groups – the students with the potential to become world-class soloists, students who were deemed to be just “good,” and finally students who would likely never play professionally. Ericsson then asked all three groups the same question: over the course of your entire career, how many hours have you practiced? By the age of twenty, the students in the elite group had each totaled ten-thousand hours of practice. The good students had totaled about eight-thousand hours, while the poorest students had practiced just over four-thousand hours.

Think about the level of perseverance and determination that the world-class experts displayed to get ten thousand hours of practice time in. The violinists in the elite group began at age 5 (as did most students in the other two groups) practicing two or three hours per week. But by age nine, they were practicing six hours each week, eight hours a week by age twelve, sixteen hours a week by age fourteen and so on.

For a middle or high school student to spend one to two work days a week on their violin practice means they had to be dedicated. I’m sure that if we interviewed those students today, they would tell us the all the stuff they missed out on because they were focused on playing violin.

What is also interesting to note is that the study found no “naturals;” students who were elite violinists without putting in the ten thousand hours of practice.

What lessons can we learn from this?

1. There is literally NO substitute for hard work. If you want to succeed, you’d better get started logging in the time now.

2. Getting to 10,000 hours (over 3.5 years of 8-hour work days) requires determination and perseverance. You need to set your mind on the goal and attend to it with a laser-like focus. In a race 10,000 hours long, there are bound to be obstacles and challenges, set-backs and disappointments. Don’t let these be more than a temporary stumbling block in your path to success.

3. There is no doubt in my mind that world-class experts on any subject—folks who have put in the 10,000 hours of work to become successful—had help. The elite violinists likely had supportive parents, music tutors, band directors, teachers, mentors, and others all helping them along the way. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to run a marathon if no one was allowed to cheer on the runners? In your success marathon, you must build your support group – a mentor, a coach, teachers and tutors, cheerleaders—whoever you need to have the resources and assistance to make it to the finish line.

I’ll leave you with Albert Einstein’s insight on the issue: “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

Believe it! Achieve It!

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Please feel free to comment on our posts, email us and ask questions, or forward blog posts on to your friends. We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading.

Congratulations, You Failed!

- by Matt Leedham

I decided I wanted to write on this topic the other night, lying fully awake in my bed. I think it was my way of getting back in the saddle. Addressing failure head on to see what comes of it. Maybe I needed a little help to realize that “failure is an event, not a person.” (Chuck Gallozzi).

Then I remembered hearing that interesting story

about Thomas Edison. The light bulb had been invented but was not commercially viable because it lacked the proper filament that would sustain electric light for long periods of time. This was Edison’s greatest contribution – discovering the right solution that would bring electric light to the masses. It is reported by both Edison and other sources that his experiments failed more than 10,000 times. He is quoted as saying, “I haven’t failed 10,000 times. I haven’t even failed once. I have successfully discovered 10,000 ways that will not work.” His point being, of course, that by eliminating the wrong ways to do something only brings you one step closer to figuring out the right way.

Thomas J. Watson, Founder of IBM seems to agree with Edison: “Would you like me to give you a formula for…success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure.” Watson goes on to say, “You’re thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all…you can be discouraged by failure, or you can learn from it. So, go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember, that’s where you’ll find success. On the far side.”

The far side, indeed.

It can feel that way sometimes, can’t it? The far side. For many of us, failure is a tough pill to swallow. Sometimes even the fear of failure is enough to crush your spirit.

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.” - William Shakespeare.

How do you overcome that feeling so that you can learn from the failure and try again? Courage and perspective.

Courage will be addressed in Part 2 of this post on failure. And I hope this post is putting things in perspective for you.

History’s best achievers, not only of great feats but of personal happiness, have failed massively. If you can learn from your experiences, you will be one step closer, my friends.

Be relentless and keep things in perspective.

PS…if you have time, watch this 8 minute video produced by Honda. As you may know, Honda is one of the most respected automotive companies in the world. In the racing community, their engines are top of the line. Think they haven’t failed miserably? Think again.

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