Is becoming world class worth it?

[pjhaggerty]

I just finished reading the book 'Talent is Overrated' by Geoff Colvin. He argues that becoming world class is simply a matter of many many hours of deliberate practice, not talent or genetics. It's a good book, well written and in my opinion worth reading.

After reading it though, I am left with the question 'is becoming really excellent at something worth it?' I mean, obviously there are benefits to being good at things. But to become excellent, to be the best, is it worth it? According to the book, to achieve the highest levels of excellence, you basically have to become obsessed by the subject. you would have to spend 4-5 hours a day in deliberate practice (it's mentally impossible to do much more), which is an unenjoyable activity (according to the book, not me). You have to focus on it single-mindedly, to the exclusion of most other pursuits. This probably means that you will not have a social life or any hobbies outside of your one main activity. You basically have to become obsessed with this one area of life.

there are benefits. People who are excellent are generally financially secure due to their mastery of a skill, especially if it is an economically valuable skill such as selling, trading, leading, etc. instead of a lesser economically valuable skill such as playing hackysack or sailing. They are also generally revered and remembered. But are the benefits worth the price?

I think it's important, because on this forum we are all interested in personal development. The question is though, are we interested in developing ourselves to the best in one particular field to the exclusion of all others? Do we want to be the healthiest person in the world? The best social butterfly? The wealthiest person? Is the point of personal development to reach the top of each field?

Or are we here to achieve a personally meaningful level of contentment and pride with our lives? Perhaps we don't really want to be the healthiest person in the world. Maybe we just want to play basketball for an hour without running out of breath. Maybe we don't want to be the wealthiest person in the world. Maybe we just want to be financially secure enough to have a house and pursue our other hobbies. Maybe we don't want to be the most popular person in a room. We just want to have a close circle of friends who we enjoy spending time with.

After reading this book, I've come to a realization personally. I'm probably not going to be the best at the stuff I do. Not because I can't be. If I were to work hard enough, I could become the best investor in the world, or one of the best. Or the best piano player. Or the best pickup artist. Or the healthiest person. But, if I chose to be the best at any of these, I would probably end up being below average on all the others. And really, I don't want that.

I've realized that it's more important to aim for being good enough. I'm healthy enough. I'm rich enough. I can play piano well enough. etc. That is more personally meaningful to me than trying to be the best at any of them.

This doesn't mean I'm going to settle, though. I'm not going to throw up my hands and say, oh well, I'm not going to be the best so why even bother trying to be healthy, wealthy, musical or anything else. Instead I'm going to focus on getting good at most of them and great at a few. I just won't be excellent. And i'll probably still be miserable at some other things, like playing football or hip-hop dancing. But that's also ok.

Ultimately, it's more personally meaningful to me to be good enough and achieve my own personal goals in each of these areas than to be the best in the world. I'm still going to achieve my goals, but I probably won't be the best. And that's also ok. I'm not going to get mad or regretful that I'm not the best at something. I'm not going to beat myself up for not becoming the best piano player in the world. instead, i'll just realize that it's ok to be mediocre at some things, and it's ok to only be good at some things, and it's ok not to be the best. Actually, I don't really want to be the best and lose the rest.

Anyway, I thought I'd post this and hopefully spark some discussion. Has anybody on here come to a similiar realization? Is anybody on this forum truly the best in the world at something they do? Can they corroborate what the book is saying? I am sure interested in hearing from all of you.

[ohTen]

is becoming really excellent at something worth it?

first, i should say that the philosophy of this book is basically a paraphrase of my personal philosophy, so i definitely agree with what he says.

i've thought about this question long and hard for several months now. my answer is wrapped up in my personal experiences and encompasses my spiritual philosophy as well.

i don't believe that this is the only life i get. i don't believe that anybody's soul ever really dies, and that we have the chance (nay, prerogative) to incarnate again and again and again. it's hard to look at existence on such a large scale (it's hard to look at the results of actions spread over a month, for goodness' sake), but it totally changes the way you view and make decisions.

dedicating your life to something in order to master it is nothing more than an experience. like every other experience you can have in life, you learn from it. it's something i haven't done yet, and i think in the grand scheme of things that it's a rather insignificant amount of time to dedicate. i think if you do choose this path that you have to be aware of the sacrifices it entails and be at peace with them.

in my last incarnation, i was a gifted and dedicated singer/songwriter on the brink of success. i was overwhelmed by the experience and died at a very young age. i see this incarnation as a second attempt at completing this experience, and i will continue to try until i get it right. the older i get, the more my world seems to be aligning toward this goal (even though i seem to be making many of the same decisions i made in my past life). the hand is outstretched to anyone and it's up to you to give yours in return. i've chosen to stick my hand out, knowing full well what it entails. I have a complex where I feel the need to be good at everything. I'm increasingly able to accept that I'm not going to be a 'jack of all, master of none' as i have been for most of my life. however, i see the complications that come with the ordinary existence that i am ostensibly giving up and am glad that they will not weigh me down. i will have many other chances to experience those things.

just my two cents.

[newmark]

Actually, it's not possible for anyone to become the best in the world at something. By definition, only one person can become the best. It is possible to become very good at something, or even two or three things if you want. Expertise is relative. In some communities in which I live I'm the best in certain fields, but if I travel somewhere else this might not be true. Being the best is also temporary. No one will remain the best forever.

It's more important to follow your enthusiasms and passions. This might well lead you to become an expert in your field anyway.

[Cado]

I'd say it depends on two factors.

1. Are you extremely passionate about it?
2. Will mastery yield side-benefits?

Say you want to master rhetoric. Doing so will not only make you formidable in debate, you'll gain an education in a number of subjects. You'll hone your ability to reason to a razor shine. You'll be good enough at discerning facts that it'll be really hard to pull a fast one on you. Even if you're listening to somebody talk about something you know nothing about, you know how facts are usually presented and structured, you know how to test for truth, and you know what tactics someone is likely to use if they're pushing something that isn't true.

Martial arts? You get in really good shape, of course. Your mental health and clarity will also improve. You'll gain a lot of confidence. Etc.

Ultimately you've got to make the choice. There's no right answer.

[Jaiysun4]

It's true, if you put many hours of deliberate practise into anything you will rapidly increase in ability, more or less inversely exponentially. This means that as you get better, more effort is required to make it to the next stage.

It's very important that deliberate is mentioned. This means with full attention, using mindulness and awareness of sound technique, using slow persistent practise on the basics with knowledge from a sound teacher. This is the most important factor in my opinion, without this many people will be wasting their time.

Is it worth it? If you love something you will just do it. But coaxing yourself into deliberate practise is difficult because it involves self-restraint and less fun now for more gain later. Also, bear in mind that most famous people or successful people get there through luck, contacts, ruthlessness etc rather than actually being the best. But it certainly helps to be proficient.

If you love something, i'd do a mixture of having fun with it, and deliberate practise. Most "world class" people started whatever it was very young, or in their teens at latest. Adults acquire lots of responsibilities - work, family, friends, that hinder deliberate practise through tiredness and unwillingness to self-disclipline.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by ohTen

first, i should say that the philosophy of this book is basically a paraphrase of my personal philosophy, so i definitely agree with what he says.

When I click on the link in you signature, Chocoviolet on Myspace I receive an error message saying the page is not found.

[Froztwolf]

I just finished reading "the Renaissance Soul" where the author draws up a very clear picture of how different people are when it comes to diversity of interests.
There are a lot of people out there that can focus on a single thing to the exclusion of any other. Those are the ones that will be world-class.
Others (like me) juggle many interests at a time and change them around frequently, always staying at the steep part of the learning curve.

I really don't think there is a right or wrong here. Both can be leveraged for practical advantage and both can be enjoyable, just to different people. Personally I would never be willing to put in the effort to become world-class at something but that doesn't mean that it's not the most reasonable option for someone else.

[ohTen]

Originally Posted by Gene

When I click on the link in you signature, Chocoviolet on Myspace I receive an error message saying the page is not found.

thanks for pointing that out. i found the problem; it should work now!

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by pjhaggerty

After reading it though, I am left with the question 'is becoming really excellent at something worth it?' I mean, obviously there are benefits to being good at things. But to become excellent, to be the best, is it worth it?

It's worth it, if you think it's worth it.

It's not, if you think it's not.

And what you think will change over time. At a certain stage of your life, you might think that is is very worthwhile and meaningful to pursue X. Five or ten years later, you might think very differently.

If you meditate deeply on the question, you will see that there is ultimately one test, and it is an ongoing one. It is a question you can keep asking yourself, wherever you find yourself, at that given time.

"Are you happy doing what you're doing ... right now?"

[Reverend Keith]

Or, as Don Juan Matus would ask...

Is your mastery of this particular skill a path with a heart?


Personally I like being modestly competent at all sorts of things, rather than a world-class master at one. But that's me. Us Geminis get bored easily

[dice]

As long as you don't know you're becoming world class

I think just the ego-trip itself would destroy any conscious effort to be 'world class' by label.

Because labels are for binders/shelves/boxes - not for people!

Unless you consider yourself a science experiement for yourself (ie. Tim Ferriss) - then you have my applause. (ps, also, talk to me.)

cheer

[marfan]

luckily it isn't realistic to be the best in the world at a myriad of things.

Hopefully you try to be the best in the world at something that is positive for you (for example it provides your income, and you are healthy enough to endure the lifestyle, you profit emotionally from it...), If it isn't something that is a strong positive for you, yea... it could detract from your overall development.

[Sam kovacs]

You seem to me as a " Renaissance man "

Renaissance Man: How to be a Real Polymath | The Art of Manliness

[Acting Like Godot]

There is a charming quote - I can't remember who said it, but it goes like this:
"Specialisation is for insects."

[supertom]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

There is a charming quote - I can't remember who said it, but it goes like this:
"Specialisation is for insects."

haha

[blossom]

Specializing on one thing and getting really good at it is not a bad thing...but I do think it's pretty limiting. Wouldn't it be better if we utilized more of our brain space to learn how to do lots of different things relatively well?

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by Sam kovacs

You seem to me as a " Renaissance man "

Renaissance Man: How to be a Real Polymath | The Art of Manliness

That is by far the best blog theme I have seen in a long time

I am certainly a Renaissance Man by personality, specializing in just one thing seems not only foolish, but a waste of a good life. There's so much to learn, so much to do, so much to see! Why put on blinders to everything else and pursue something with such dogged single mindedness? I like the quote Acting Like Godot quoted, which sounds like something Leonardo Da Vinci would have said. Da Vinci is considered a historical example of 'world class', yet he excelled in not one, but numerous aspects of life. Not to mention he probably could have cared less about being 'world class'. Not unless it would bemuse him the proper inspiration to build a rocketship

Ask yourself this, before you ask whether any particular title is worth the pursuit for its own sake. What matters more, what people think of you or how your being is progressing? Let titles be a mere byproduct of your love for life. Being famous, world class, an expert or any of those egoic titles won't make you happy! They'll just be another name for people to call you by. Again, another wonderful quote springs to mind, this one from William Shakespeare (who loved to write plays for its own sake, not for fame and to get the Queen's attention). He said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet".

[RagsToRiches]

If you were to look at the world with such an attitude - then of course becoming world-class would be unappealing.

You can look at something as the hard stone-cold logical way that it seems to be - that if y then x...

If I practice loads and loads and loads then I become really really good at it.

Makes it sound terrible.

If instead you have the perspective of an artist. That your craft is beautiful and that you thoroughly enjoy doing it.... then you will see things differently.

When I wanted to get ripped I did think "Ok so I'll have to work-out 3-4 times a week and do this exercise and that exercise..."...

But what motivated me wasn't that...

It was that I enjoyed the burning in my muscles, that I enjoyed the way that hard work-outs allowed me to focus deeply on the moment (mindfulness)... that by training both my body and my mind I was able to push my body to new limits.

There's a certain feeling of mysticism I have about the way the body moves now. Like I am always so aware of where all the parts are, what they are feeling...

[The Rock]

Who said you can't be the best at many things? Switch to polyphasic for life and you'll be 2nd coming of Da Vinci

Nice quote by the way ALG.

[Reverend Keith]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

There is a charming quote - I can't remember who said it, but it goes like this:
"Specialisation is for insects."

It's from Heinlein, and is one of my favorites. The more complete quote is:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."