How to not be typical.

A man named Dr. Ericsson is considered the world’s leading expert on expertise. In several studies, he discovered that it usually takes around 10,000 hours of time for someone to become an expert at something.

10,000 hours of writing to be an expert writer.

10,000 hours of yoga to be an expert yogi.

10,000 hours of anything equals expertise.

So why aren’t more people experts?

Because of stats like this:

“By age twenty-one, the typical American has spent ten thousand hours playing computer games.”

I read that sentence in the book Willpower, and it surprised me.

Now I don’t hate video games. I think they can be awesome and part of an awesome life.

But if you play 10,000 hours by the time you’re 21, do you know where you are headed?

Typical.

Average.

Ordinary.

Common.

And you were meant for something more.

Go be an expert. Go work on 10,000 hours. Just make sure that you don’t end up at typical along the way.