10,000 Hours of Practice!

Malcolm Gladwell says that if you want to shine, put in 10,000 hours.
A new book by the Tories’ favourite sociologist claims practice is the secret of success in sport, business, art and science.

I was interested to learn that research has shown that to be successful at anything you need to spend 10,000 hours in practice. This means that if I am questioning why my Driver doesn't go the distance of Tiger Woods', then it is because I clearly haven't spent enough time practicing. If my tennis backhand is not as damaging as the Fed X's, then it is because I haven't practiced enough. If my piano scales aren't as sharp as what Bach's were, then it is clearly because he spent more time practicing than me.

The article goes on to say..
“The tennis prodigy who starts playing at six is playing in Wimbledon at 16 or 17 [like] Boris Becker. The classical musician who starts playing the violin at four is debuting at Carnegie Hall at 15 or so.The obsessive approach is particularly evident in sporting icons. Jonny Wilkinson, the rugby player, Tiger Woods, the golfer, and the Williams sisters in tennis have all trained relentlessly since they were children. Much of Britain’s Olympic success is down to a combination of natural ability and sheer dedication. Victoria Pendleton’s emphatic gold in the women’s sprint cycling in Beijing came only after humiliating defeat in Athens four years ago. After training for four hours a day, six days a week the 27-year-old finally reaped the rewards. Rebecca Adlington, the 19-year-old swimmer who won two gold medals at the Beijing Games, has put in an estimated 8,840 hours of training since the age of 12. Bill Furniss, her coach, said: “When I first saw her, what stood out was the fact that she was so willing to take the pain and make sacrifices.”

What’s really interesting about this 10,000-hour rule is that it applies virtually everywhere,” Gladwell told a conference held by The New Yorker magazine. “You can’t become a chess grand master unless you spend 10,000 hours on practice.

SO...this 10,000 hours of practice doesn't only apply to sports or music. It applies to reading, cooking, public speaking and wait for it.....drum roll..... READING THE BIBLE.
Think about what this says about reading and understanding our bibles. Speaking to many people today it seems that reading the bible is certainly a struggle. Many seem to struggle in understanding the scriptures. Many think that the scriptures are out dated and don't speak to us today. But could this be because we haven't spent any where near 10,000 hours reading the bible? Could this be because we haven't spent 10,000 hours becoming proficient in hearing what God was saying through the authors to the culture and situation of the day and then thinking through how this speaks to us today?? Practice makes perfect.

Let's not get discouraged by this figure thinking I will never be able to read and understand the bible because I haven't spent enough time at. But let us rather be encouraged that the more we read and seek to properly exegete the texts, the better we will get, and the more we will understand and the more it will change our lives (if of course we let the text speak to us).

Take it one minute at a time, one hour at a time and see how much more proficient you become in delving into the truths and wonders of Gods amazing story. This is a challenge for me and one where I want to see the 10,000 hours achieved. So, if you are reading this, then please pray for me that I will schedule and prioritize more time reading and in exegesis of the text. Thank you.

Reference: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4969415.ece