The 10000-Hour Principle: A Lesson on Perseverance

“I feel like a fish out of water.” That’s what I told my husband after a recent podcast recording session. I’d rambled on for fifteen minutes, only to end up with a single usable 30-second soundbite. For someone who has spent over 20 years managing programs and solving problems with confidence and ease, this felt like uncharted, and uncomfortable territory. He simply said, “That’s the 10000 Hour Principle.”

From Being The Expert to Being The Novice

I’ve spent more than two decades helping others achieve their goals through managing complex programs for the Government of Canada, and helping friends, family, and clients with their own projects, I’ve honed my ability to guide others, solve problems, and create efficient systems to help them succeed.

But when it comes to achieving my own goals? Let’s just say it doesn’t feel so effortless.

Diving into podcasting and social media, admittedly things I’ve never done for a business before, has made me feel a bit out of my depths. It’s messy and awkward. And, sometimes, it feels like I’m spinning my wheels without getting anywhere. What I’ve realized, though is that feeling out of my depth doesn’t mean I’m incapable. It just means that I’m learning. Not an easy concept to swallow, but an important one to swallow.

What Is the 10,000-Hour Principle?

When my husband said “oh yeah, that’s the 10,000-Hour Principle,” I thought “the what?”  He explained it to me, but then I had to Google it.  The 10000-Hour Principle, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers, suggests that mastering a skill requires about 10000 hours of intentional practice. It’s not about being naturally gifted or having all the answers right away… it’s about putting in the work, learning from your mistakes, and getting better over time.

This idea circles back to my constant self-reminder that progress is often, if not always messy. But in the end, every hour of effort gets me closer to where I want to be.

Who here operates with the mindset that if they don’t get it right the first time, it’s no use?.. You can’t see it, but my hand is up and flailing in the most jittery of ways.

You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out

If you’re someone who doubts whether you have what it takes to “run your own ship,” let me remind you (and let’s be honest, this is a reminder I need constantly too): You don’t need to have it all figured out from the start.

Abu Dhabi wasn’t built in a day, and neither is mastery in any skill or business venture. Whatever you’re yearning to learn or striving to build, it’s not going to happen with the snap of your fingers. This has been one of the hardest lessons for me to learn. I’ll be honest, there have been plenty of times when I’ve abandoned pursuits because things got too dicey, too overwhelming, or I didn’t feel like I could “knock it out of the park” right away.

When I feel that sense of overwhelm creeping in, I have to remind myself of two truths:

1. The confidence I have in helping others achieve their goals didn’t come overnight. It was the result of years of practice. It came from hours of research, countless conversations, continuing education, fighting for what’s right, sleepless nights, field experience, and nuggets of wisdom from an incredible support network. Every single moment added to the expertise I now share with my clients. Definitely over 10000 hours of learning and trying and figuring things out.
2. The same intentional effort I’ve poured into guiding others is exactly what will help me succeed in my own ventures.

So, if I can do it, so can you. Success doesn’t look like having all the answers on day one… it’s about showing up, learning as you go, and refusing to give up when things get tough.

Messy Action is Still Action

I’ll shout this from the rooftops time and time again… your journey doesn’t have to look pretty. Some days, you’ll feel like you’re rambling for fifteen minutes and only getting thirty seconds of value. But even that is an achievement in itself. Mistake are steps forward in disguise. Every awkward attempt is a lesson learned. Put the work in, trip and fall, get back up, do it again… and like Groundhog Day, the efforts you put in every day will amount to your success. Trust the process.

When you embrace the process and stay consistent, you’ll be amazed at how far you can go.

The Takeaway: Give Yourself Grace

The journey toward achieving your goals isn’t linear. It’s full of twists, turns, and moments of doubt. Along the winding road, there is also discovery, self-realization and unexpected wins.  It’s not all a crap-chute!

I wanted to write this to anyone feeling like they don’t have what it takes to “run their own ship,” because it occurred to me as I was being hard on myself on my own learning journey, that lots of you probably are too.  I want to leave you with this: please give yourself grace. 10000 hours doing anything isn’t easy.  And hey, it might not even take that long to get there.  But if it does, it will have been worth it if you want it enough.

You’ve got what it takes… you just have to forge on and trust the process.