|
Site Navigation
|
 Home
+ Contact Us
 Email Us
or Call Us at:
(405) 385-7038
+ Ebooks
+ Blogs
+ Social Media
+ About Us
+ Extra Pages
|
|
Article Directory
|
+ Authors
+ Articles
|
|
|
|
10,000 HOURS! How to Tap The Awesome Power Of Passion, Practice, and Persistence
Copyright (c) 2006-2010 Bruce Elkin
Did you know that participants in the Turin Olympic ceremonies practiced their routines 11,000 times?
Or that, in the year leading up to Turin, figure skaters practiced each element in their programs 14,000 times?
Similarly, Buddhist monks who tested off the scale for inner peace and compassion sat in meditation for over 10,000 hours?
10,000 hours! Why?
Because they know there is awesome power in practice and persistence.
Practice Plus Persistence Equals Mastery
The source of that power is passion.
To tap into it, you have to practice, and, to practice, you have to love what you do.
Passion alone is not enough. Vision without action deteriorates into daydreaming. Without persistent practice, passion fades.
So how best do we integrate passion, practice, and persistence?
By developing mastery in what matters most to us.
Mastery is key to consistently producing high-level results. And practice is key to growth and mastery. So is persistence.
In Aikido, the master is the one who stays on the mat five minutes longer than anybody else.
Powered by passion, persistent practice eases you along the learning curve until you hit that sweet spot where the curve starts to rise sharply, and results come easily.
Although rich in natural talent, Wayne Gretzky, the "Great One" of hockey fame, was first on and last off the ice from the time he started playing until he retired.
The Great One translated his natural talent into real and lasting success through passion, practice, and persistence.
You can do the same.
Want To Get Lucky?
Not only do practice and persistence tap passion's power and enable you to create successful results. They also make you lucky.
Legendary golfer Ben Hogan was interviewed after winning a major tournament.
"Mr. Hogan," said a reporter, "You were under amazing pressure in this tourney yet you consistently hit remarkable shots. How do you do it?"
"Hmm," said the laconic Hogan, "I suppose I'm just lucky."
"Just luck?" said the reporter. "But you practice more than any player on the tour."
"Well," said Hogan, "I guess the more I practice, the luckier I get."
Hogan loved golf. Gretzky loved hockey. Enduring successes in all fields come from people who love what they do enough to persist in their practice until they achieve mastery, grace, and excellence.
What DO you love?
The Most Painful, Creative Act Of Life
What brings you most fully alive and engaged? What gives you juice? What do you MOST want to create?
If answering these questions is difficult, you are in good company.
Business expert Sir Geoffrey Vickers said, "Learning what to want is the most radical, the most painful, and the most creative art of life."
Three reasons get in the way of knowing what you truly want.
First, we focus on what is second, third, or tenth most important because we're afraid to fail at what's most important.
Second, when asked about passion, many are quick with "YEAH, BUT..." comebacks.
People say, "I know what I am passionate about, BUT I do not know how to do it."
Or, "I do not have enough time. Or money. Or confidence."
Or, often, "Yes, I want that, BUT somebody or something always gets in my way."
Is that you? Or someone you know?
If so, a third reason knowing what to want is difficult might be because you often work out of a "fixed" mindset.
If you operate out of a fixed mindset, you may dismiss what you want most as a pie-in-the-sky impossibility. "Yeah, that'd be great, but . . . I could never do it."
The motivational energy created by the "Yeah!" is instantly negated by the "but...."
With no energy, there is not action, no results, and no success.
You Mindset And Success (Or Lack Of It)
In her new book, MINDSET: The New Psychology of Success, Stanford professor Carol Dweck identifies 2 different mindsets (or belief structures) that play critical roles in whether we succeed at what matters to us, or not.
The Fixed Mindset
People working with a FIXED mindset believe their intelligence, talents, and ability to create results that matter are fixed.
You have them, or you do not. Nothing can be done to change fixed traits.
Because they believe their traits and abilities are fixed, people with fixed mindsets focus on proving they are talented by demonstrating what they do well.
They hide weaknesses. They are afraid to fail or look foolish, so they close themselves to practice and learning. They fail to grow their talents and abilities.
They fail to achieve the success the desire.
The Growth Mindset And Success
People with a GROWTH mindset believe their intelligence, talents, and ability to create can be developed through passion, practice, and persistence.
They do NOT have to prove they are smart or able. They are not afraid of looking foolish if it will lead to learning.
They risk failing because they know growth and change are possible, and failure is useful feedback.
For people with a growth mindset, it is not about grooming an image. It is about learning what it takes to create what they most want.
Growth mindset people are passionate about the results they want to produce, AND passionate about learning how to create them.
They believe passion-driven practice and persistence lead to improved abilities, increased talent, and successful results.
Here is the good news. You can learn to work from a growth mindset.
If you embrace a growth mindset, you will likely create success beyond that which you have been able to create so far.
Embracing A Growth Mindset
Managers who learned the growth mindset in 90-minute workshops succeeded in shifting from fixed to growth mindsets, and sustained their results.
In workshops, they read an article and watched a video about how the brain changes and grows with learning. Then they were asked to do 4 things:
List 3 reasons why it is important to think that ability can be developed;
Recall an area where you developed an ability, and explain how you made that change;
Email a hypothetical protégé about how ability can be developed, and
Bring to mind times when you saw someone learn to do something you did not think the person could do, and think about how that happened, and what it means.
If you want to succeed at what matters, I suggest you try these four techniques yourself. And do not just do them once or twice and quit.
Keep at it until you notice yourself changing, and then keep at it until the growth mindset becomes your new go-to habit.
When it does, you will be able to tap into the awesome power of passion, through practice, and persistence. You will be able to harness your time and effort in the service of your deepest desires and highest aspirations.
Confident that you can learn what it takes to make your dreams a reality, you will be much more likely to put in the persistent practice to successfully do so.
I doubt the success you long for will take 10,00 hours. But if it does, it will be worth it.
Follow "The Phantom Writers" on Twitter
(@phantomwriters)
to be notified when new articles are made available.
VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
Needs Work >>
0 -
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5
<< Excellent Article
Tell our authors what you think about their article.
|
Top-Level Category: Self Improvement Articles
10 Most Recent Articles Written by Bruce Elkin
From Fit to Stretch: Skills for Creating Success On Your Terms
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-03-12 |
Word Count: 1176 |
Page Views: 440
| Votes: 10 |
Rating: 2.70
Abraham Maslow once said we long to be "that which we glimpse
in our most perfect moments." But, he also pointed out we are
often afraid to live up to the potential we see in those moments.
As years pass and we fail to act on what we could be, the
glimpses fade.
Take A Stand for Your Own Greatness
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-03-06 |
Word Count: 851 |
Page Views: 496
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 3.00
20 years ago, I took an instructor's course to learn how to
help people create what matters most. Despite my shyness and
inexperience in such work, the course was extraordinary.
Get the Raise You Deserve
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-02-25 |
Word Count: 944 |
Page Views: 456
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 3.33
"If I don't get more money, I'm going to quit this stupid
job." That's how a client described one of her important goals
to me. When I asked her if this was a new goal, she replied,
"No. I always say that, but I never get the raise I want.
It's not fair."
Saying 'Yes' to Life
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-02-15 |
Word Count: 982 |
Page Views: 460
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 3.00
o you ever gripe and complain about life? About what happens to
you, or what you have or do not have? I used to, a lot. I hoped
complaining would make things better. But it didn't. In spite
of my tendency to whine, I was a doer. I did not like teaching
public school. So I left and created programs for environmental
education and wilderness leadership. I started to write. I set
up my own business.
When the 'Blues' Last For Weeks - Part One
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-02-07 |
Word Count: 1067 |
Page Views: 574
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 2.25
Do you feel tired too much of the time. Or sad, empty? Has life
lost its spark? Does your body have the blues? Have you felt
this way for more than a few weeks? Do you wonder, "Am I
depressed? Or just out of sorts?" These days, many wonder if
they are depressed. And with good reason.
How to Build Healthy Optimism and Lasting Resilience - Part Two
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-02-07 |
Word Count: 1126 |
Page Views: 612
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 2.75
We face more adversity every day. So do our kids. But some of
us thrive, while others drop into dperession, or worse. What
accounts for that difference? Adversity, by itself, does not
cause depression. Many of us make adversity worse by taking a
pessimistic stance toward it. We dwell on the worst aspects of
what happens to us.
How To Be Happy -- With Whatever Life Gives You!
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-01-28 |
Word Count: 1087 |
Page Views: 1370
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 2.09
The way we make ourselves happy is unique to each of us. But the ways we make ourselves unhappy are remarkably common to all of us. So, perhaps, by not doing the things that makes us unhappy, we can create more space for deep and lasting happiness we long for.
How to Overcome Adversity and Create Outstanding Results in Life and Work!
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-01-23 |
Word Count: 918 |
Page Views: 929
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.57
Learning to overcome adversity helps you produce great
results--in life, work, and relationships--even when
the going is tough.
The Diderot Effect: Staying Simple In The City
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-01-15 |
Word Count: 919 |
Page Views: 920
| Votes: 12 |
Rating: 2.92
Recently, I experienced my own encounter with the Diderot Effect.
I moved to the city, and struggled to avoid an outburst
consumerism.
Jumpstart Your Success-And Keep It Jumping! 7 Great Questions to Move You From Vision to Results
Written by: Bruce Elkin |
Distributed: 2008-01-07 |
Word Count: 1162 |
Page Views: 1037
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.56
Tony came to me because he was stuck. Nan came because she was
drifting. Both had potential and tried hard. But neither could
pull the pieces together to create success. Each made progress,
then fell back, stuck or drifting again. Both spent too much time
and money trying to figure out "how" to create success.
Sound like you? If so, perhaps you, too, ask the wrong
questions.
All of Author's Articles on this site: Bruce Elkin Articles
Most Recent "Self Improvement" Articles
Wal-Mart Has Everything You Need Including Your Next Dating Prospect
Written by: Lance Metzger |
Distributed: 2010-01-26 |
Word Count: 674 |
Page Views: 302
| Votes: 13 |
Rating: 2.23
My 20-year-old nephew came to live with me and my kids, until he
can get on his own two feet financially. His hometown - my
hometown is really small... providing little opportunity to
someone looking to get started in life on the right foot. I
showed him around town, set him on a path to find a job, and
pointed out where he could go to meet girls his own age... And in
the end, I learned an age-old lesson from my nephew...
Tips For Building a Successful Long Distance Relationship
Written by: Lance Metzger |
Distributed: 2010-01-19 |
Word Count: 731 |
Page Views: 253
| Votes: 15 |
Rating: 2.07
From time to time, life will hand you a twist, and you will be
required to move from one place to another - this can be the
result of a job transfer, leaving home to attend college, or any
of a number of other reasons. When you move from one town to
another, it is not always possible to bring your partner with
you, and this sometimes leads to the formation of a long distance
relationship (LDR).
10 Easy Steps to Feeling Fabulous!
Written by: Carol Chanel |
Distributed: 2010-01-12 |
Word Count: 1238 |
Page Views: 79
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 1.50
Over the years of helping women learn to feel fabulous, I
realized there are 10 steps you have to take in order to
truly feel it. Before I tell you the 10 steps, I want to
first share with you what being fabulous really means and
what gets in the way of it. This way the steps will make
sense.
Why So Many People Have Tried Dating And Are Still Alone
Written by: Lance Metzger |
Distributed: 2010-01-12 |
Word Count: 692 |
Page Views: 656
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.89
Let's face it; we all want to find our special someone.
Unfortunately, too many people involved in the Dating Game are
hurting their chances of success, before they even go on that
first date.
Why I Don't Trust Gurus
Written by: Scott Bywater |
Distributed: 2010-01-05 |
Word Count: 558 |
Page Views: 68
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 0.50
I look back at this stage of my life as a big learning
experience... a seeking for something deeper... a time when
I trusted others above myself. And it felt awful.
How To Avoid The Pitfalls, Wrong Turns, Broken Hearts Of Online Dating
Written by: Lance Metzger |
Distributed: 2010-01-05 |
Word Count: 657 |
Page Views: 217
| Votes: 15 |
Rating: 2.40
As an experienced online dater, I feel qualified to help you avoid
pitfalls, wrong turns, broken hearts, and the general
catastrophes associated with internet wooing. Read on as I
examine many of the pitfalls of online dating and how to avoid
them...
Please Hear What I'm NOT Saying
Written by: Scott Bywater |
Distributed: 2010-01-01 |
Word Count: 1022 |
Page Views: 86
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 1.00
Up until - probably the last 5 years - I always tried to
pretend like I was perfect. The following poem called,
Please Hear What I'm NOT Saying, tells much about my life
when I was much younger... As it may tell about people you
know in your own life...
Think Like a Bamboo Plant
Written by: Scott Bywater |
Distributed: 2009-12-31 |
Word Count: 314 |
Page Views: 63
| Votes: 1 |
Rating: 5.00
Discipline is a requisite of success... But it helps to view
the world as the life cycle of a bamboo plant...
Happy Holidays (Hold Onto The Slippery Fish)
Written by: Scott Bywater |
Distributed: 2009-12-29 |
Word Count: 553 |
Page Views: 64
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 3.50
This is not the normal way you would open up a Christmas
message, but I think it's really important for all of us to
pay attention, particularly at this time.
Tips To Help You Spot and Avoid Online Dating Scams
Written by: Lance Metzger |
Distributed: 2009-12-29 |
Word Count: 1082 |
Page Views: 584
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.67
When seeking romance on the Internet, you should be aware of the
many scammers that are seeking to victimize those looking for
love.
Most Viewed "Self Improvement" Articles
Fill-In-The-Blank Bio Templates to Write Your Personal or Professional Bio
Written by: Barbra Sundquist |
Distributed: 2008-04-17 |
Word Count: 654 |
Page Views: 27952
| Votes: 110 |
Rating: 2.49
It's not hard to write a personal or professional bio when you
use the fill-in-the-blank bio templates provided in this article.
All you have to do is choose one or two sentences from each of
the four categories and add your details. The result will be a
first-rate personal or professional bio.
Making Women Lust For You
Written by: Kathy Stafford |
Distributed: 2007-10-29 |
Word Count: 566 |
Page Views: 5255
| Votes: 31 |
Rating: 2.06
Ways to be the man women will lust for. Offers suggestions on how
to improve your physical image as well as your personality to
make yourself more attractive to the opposite sex.
She Won't Call Me Back
Written by: Kathy Stafford |
Distributed: 2007-11-07 |
Word Count: 503 |
Page Views: 5193
| Votes: 25 |
Rating: 3.28
How to proceed when the woman you connected with won't return
your phone calls or emails. Tips for determining whether you
should continue to try to contact her or forget her and move on
to someone new.
Why Is Failure The Steppingstone To Success?
Written by: Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success |
Distributed: 2007-06-07 |
Word Count: 156 |
Page Views: 3436
| Votes: 40 |
Rating: 1.70
The pervasive misperception is that failure is somehow bad for
you. I think failure is just the opposite and have identified 8
reasons why failure is your steppingstone to success.
Burris Life Coaching Sets New Standards for Life Coach Certification
Written by: Kelly Burris |
Distributed: 2006-10-12 |
Word Count: 658 |
Page Views: 2859
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.71
What determines human behavior? There is not a Life Coach or for
that matter a psychologist, psychiatrist or physician who can
definitively answer this question yet this is the most
fundamental question if you wish to initiate permanent behavior
change. If you can not answer this question, how can you possibly
expect to help someone make a change in their behavior let alone
a permanent change? How can you move forward if you do not know
what is moving you forward.
Talking About Past Relationships
Written by: Kathy Stafford |
Distributed: 2007-11-13 |
Word Count: 685 |
Page Views: 2260
| Votes: 12 |
Rating: 2.50
How much information do you give your girlfriend about your past
relationships? Offers tips for how to answer the question from
your girlfriend about your past relationship – what to tell, and
what not to tell.
How to Blend Two Eye Shadows to Create the Perfect Smoky Eyes
Written by: Kim M Snyder |
Distributed: 2006-06-16 |
Word Count: 986 |
Page Views: 2099
| Votes: 10 |
Rating: 2.20
When it comes to creating smoky eyes, there is more than one
technique; from the color you use to how dark or light one uses
it. Yet when you get down to it, it's really the way you blend
your eye shadow colors that creates the perfect set of smoky
eyes.
California Drug Treatment Center Succeeds where other State Programs Fail.
Written by: Arthur McCloud |
Distributed: 2007-09-21 |
Word Count: 549 |
Page Views: 1750
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 2.00
Matt battled drug addiction for fourteen years, but thanks to a
California Drug Treatment Center, he now has a chance at living a
drug free life. His journey to get the help that would save his
life, started seven years ago when his mother, Lola, found
Narconon Vista Bay, a California Drug Treatment Center, on the
internet. Impressed with the program's success rate and
treatment methods, Lola knew that Narconon was the right choice
for her son.
Self Defense: Tasers, Stun Guns, and the CSI Connection
Written by: Amy Herndon |
Distributed: 2006-09-19 |
Word Count: 735 |
Page Views: 1749
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 2.88
Information about protecting yourself and the usage of stun guns
and tazers.
Addiction: Is it Really a Disease as Believed by 12-step Drug Rehabilitation Programs?
Written by: Kerry Johnson |
Distributed: 2007-09-21 |
Word Count: 439 |
Page Views: 1642
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 2.43
Drug Rehabilitation programs that offer a true solution to drug
addiction do exist. By stripping away the belief that addiction
is a disease, these drug rehabilitation programs can return the
addict to a healthy state. There is no incurable disease to
combat. Not surprisingly, these alternative drug rehabilitation
programs have a much higher success rate than the standard
12-Step drug rehabilitation program.
Highest Ranked "Self Improvement" Articles
Time Management For Busy Moms
Written by: Jance Hayes |
Distributed: 2006-07-12 |
Word Count: 348 |
Page Views: 613
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 4.00
How do you do it? You work 40 hours a week, commute eight, cook,
clean, read bed time stories, help with homework, finagle home
finances and still have time for yourself and your spouse. Is
there an easier way? Before you peanut butter that gum out of
Sarah's hair or hunt down Cameron's pet rat, take a deep breath
and try these helpful time management tips:
The Key to Success in Psychometric Tests – Personality and Aptitude
Written by: Ron Clover |
Distributed: 2008-02-13 |
Word Count: 793 |
Page Views: 546
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 3.88
In the current job market, being invited to a job interview
almost always entails taking psychometric tests. The two main
elements in psychometric testing consist of – personality tests
and aptitude (IQ) tests.
Spring Clean Your Life!
Written by: Jan Hornford |
Distributed: 2008-05-13 |
Word Count: 1091 |
Page Views: 467
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 3.80
My spring cleaning has been centered on eliminating tolerations.
Tolerations are anything that you are putting up with that drains
your energy or irritates you. Eliminating tolerations is a simple
way to get you into action, generate momentum and create energy
in your life.
Law of Success: Part II
Written by: Sharif Khan |
Distributed: 2007-07-18 |
Word Count: 1856 |
Page Views: 710
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 3.78
Learn the Success Secrets of over 500 of the world's greatest
achievers in this special three part educational series
commemorating the work of Napoleon Hill's classic bestseller,
'Law of Success.'
Coping With Your Stresses And Anxieties In The Business World
Written by: Stanley Popovich |
Distributed: 2008-03-27 |
Word Count: 490 |
Page Views: 496
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 3.60
Everybody deals with anxieties and stresses in the business
world, however sometimes our anxieties can get the best of us. As
a result, here is a list of techniques that a person can use to
help manage their daily stresses and anxieties at their job and
in the business world.
Ten Things You Can Do To Decrease Your Stress At The Office
Written by: Chris Le Roy |
Distributed: 2006-08-24 |
Word Count: 2971 |
Page Views: 693
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 3.57
The world we live on is nothing but a mound of chaotic pressure
that is building to the point it bursts like a volcano. We are
bombarded with pressure from our employers, our customers and
families to the point where some people actually do break. Most
of us today in professional lives spend between 8 and 16 hours a
day at the office, which equates to almost two-thirds of our
lives being in a place we really do not want to be in, but there
are things you can do to decrease the stress in your office.
The Heart of The Matter - The Most Sought After Frontier - And If It Isn't, Shouldn't It Be? Episode #2 -Feelings -The Big Cover-Up!
Written by: Bronwyn NobleStar |
Distributed: 2007-10-25 |
Word Count: 819 |
Page Views: 479
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 3.57
Did you start your day with LOVE or HATE? By asking this
underlying question the quality of your life can be improved! Do
you always recognize that what you experience is based on
feelings? Does it really matter? You bet! Generally, the ego does
such a good job of covering up, burying or hiding your feelings
that you may have forgotten the way to The Heart of The Matter -
your emotions...your feelings!
Do You Take Things Personally? Learn How Not To
Written by: Carol Chanel |
Distributed: 2006-11-02 |
Word Count: 1891 |
Page Views: 1412
| Votes: 18 |
Rating: 3.56
Do you take things personally and wish you didn't? Do you want
to know how not to take things personally? Every time I say I
help people learn how not to take things personally I always get
the same response – oh, I need help with that.
Personal Decisions Of The Heart: Clearing Out The Muck!
Written by: Bronwyn NobleStar |
Distributed: 2007-11-08 |
Word Count: 1552 |
Page Views: 513
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 3.50
Did you start your day with Love or Hate? Discover how to improve
the quality of your life by asking this simple question, daily!
Will you take your emotional life into your own hands?
Personal Decisions Of The Heart: The Inner Enemy!
Written by: Bronwyn NobleStar |
Distributed: 2007-12-13 |
Word Count: 913 |
Page Views: 617
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 3.44
Why not start your day by taking a moment to check your
e-motional barometer. Are you feeling Love or Hate? By answering
this question daily, you can improve the quality of your life!
|
|
|
Article Statistics
|
Find This Article Title In The Search Engines:
Widow Search
Right Blinker
Google
Yahoo!
Zuula
Bing
Cuil
Last Distribution Date:
2007-12-19 03:00:00
Word Count: 1183
Total Views: 1013
Views This Month: 6
Views Last Month: 27
Article Rating: 2.86 of 5
Votes Cast: 7
Author Overall Stats:
Times Viewed Overall: 11157
Author Overall Rating:
2.79 of 5
Votes Cast Overall: 129
More Articles By This Author:
Articles On This Website
|
|
|
Article Reprint Rights
|
This work is
licensed under a
Creative Commons
License
You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
|
|
for Writers
for Publishers
Article Directory
Article Search
Get RSS Feed
