5 Minutes More
“The difference between an amateur and a professional,” said Ted Engstrom, “is about five minutes more.”
Long before Malcolm Gladwell presented the (now largely discredited) “10,000 Hour Rule”, a principle which holds that 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” are needed to become world-class in any field, I discovered this simple truth: “Someone has said that the difference between an amateur and a professional is about five minutes more.”
Just think: how could you apply the “five minutes more” rule?
- You could spend five minutes more with your spouse, child, boss, or co-worker to listen deeply to understand them.
- You could read, pray, meditate, or journal for five minutes more rather than updating your Facebook status or Twitter feed.
- You could run, walk, lift, or exercise five more minutes longer in order to push your body closer to the goal you want to reach.
- You could deliberately practice the skill you’ve been trying to master, such as playing the piano, writing poetry, or learning a new language, for five minutes past the time you say to yourself, “that’s enough for today.”
- You could wait five minutes longer before you answer that e-mail, return that phone call, or make that careless comment that could damage a valuable relationship.
- You could wait five minutes longer before you indulge that mindless, automatic, or addictive behavior.
Whenever you’re struggling, wherever your challenged, give it five more minutes. It’s not magic, but that five more minutes, committed to the places where you’re feeling awkward and uncomfortable, will pay huge dividends.
Call to Action
Five minutes more? How has giving five minutes more changed you? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @JaySteelmon!
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