Practice, practice, practice

Malcolm Gladwell, in Outliers, writes about a 'magic' number for success. 10,000 hrs. He poses a provocative question: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many never reach their potential?

Challenging our belief of the "self-made man," Malcolm makes the assertion that super-achievers aren't propelled by genius and talent alone, but "are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot." This inheritance of advantage; the ability to practice a skill for 10,000 hours--mostly during childhood--being key to future success.

Practice with Emotional Intelligence

In Emotional Intelligence 2.0, four EQ skills are presented: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. The book contains proven strategies from a decade-long effort to accurately measure and increase emotional intelligence. Trusted by upper-echelon leaders inside companies worldwide, these strategies help us capitalize on the skills responsible for over half of our performance.

Practice in our sleep

Our imaginations are powerful. Vividly imagined outcomes are recorded in our subconscious the same as real experiences. Athletes and actors leverage this to perform at their finest. So can those in unwanted or terrible situations.

I wore a prisoner of war (POW) bracelet marked “Captain Gerald Coffee” from ‘70-‘73. His RA5-C reconnaissance jet was downed by enemy fire, and for seven years he was held as a POW in the Communist prisons of North Vietnam - much of it in solitary confinement. 

“I walked several miles a day - three steps and a turn at a time. I vowed to find the purpose in my adversity and pain and come home better, tougher, and stronger in every way. Our mission in prison was to not just survive, but go beyond survival and return with honor.”

He and others ‘remembered’ vividly the lives they would resume. Today he’s one of the nations’ top motivational and corporate speakers.

You too can “invest the time” needed – regardless of your situation.