Why 10,000 hours misses the mark 

Building something of substance and value requires more than just repetition. 

It takes iteration. 

Because it’s not enough to simply create the same thing over and over, hoping for better results. 

It is far more effective to evolve, to grow, to learn, to adjust, and to try again. 

Yes, mastery is a byproduct of repetition. 

But growth is a byproduct of change. 

Repetition builds muscle memory. 

But iteration is how muscles get stronger. 

From good to great 

Succeeding as a creator, artist, or entrepreneur requires consistently showing up for an extended period of time without any guarantee of payoff. 

It’s a shot in the dark, albeit a calculated one. 

But it’s a risk. 

However, risk is minimized by becoming proficient in one’s craft. 

It’s easier to build your 10th business than it is your first just like it’s easier to release your 20th song than it is your 10th. 

Momentum is everything. 

Because first you have to get going, and then you have to get good. 

But greatness only comes when you pay attention to feedback. 

Just like an athlete may have to completely retool the way they jump, throw, or swing, sometimes a builder has to take things all the way back down to first principles to reshape his or her trajectory. 

That means testing things, changing them, and then testing them again. 

Listening to the market. 

And listening to yourself. 

Everything is feedback 

Silence is often the loudest form of feedback. 

Of course, applause is tough to ignore too. 

But it’s the tiny microreactions from your audience that are the toughest to read. 

I almost always receive conflicting feedback on my videos and posts. 

One person says the concept is perfectly articulated and changed how they do things. 

The other says it’s rubbish and that I’m full of it. 

Which one do you listen to? 

Whose feedback do you use to fuel your iteration the next time you show up? 

This takes discernment. 

And thought. 

And, ultimately, decisions, which no one else can make but you. 

But the good news is that if you choose the wrong path, you can always take a step back and try a different one. 

And that’s what people often forget. 

Putting it all together 

There is no one path to success when it comes to making things. 

But there is also no one path to failure. 

Both are equally possible. 

And both are equally reversible. 

Knocking it out of the park once doesn’t build a sustainable business, and dropping the ball once doesn’t destroy one either. 

All of these inputs and eventualities play together in the same arena, each interacting and engaging with the others. 

Our job as creators and builders is to pay attention to the process, learn from the feedback, take calculated risks, and use all of that to improve to the best of our ability the next time around. 

Every post, every release, and every product is a data point. 

It’s all testing. 

And that’s the whole game. 

So take a chance, try something new, and, most importantly, have fun doing it.