Kevin Leavitt

Thought I'd bring this thread back to life.

Just finished Outliers this weekend. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it as a budoka.

It brings up some very interesting points. I look back at my post to David's post above and have a little more to add after reading the Book.

I still stand by my statement, and in fact I am happy to say, my instincts we in line with what Gladwell had to say.

10,0000 hours of practice is important in the concept of mastery. Gladwell does a good job of defining through a series of vignettes what 10,000 hours of practice means and all the other factors that goes into the formula of mastery or success.

That 10,000 hours of course, has to be the right things, and the right time too.

I found myself as I read Outliers reflecting on Hidden in Plain Site, by Ellis Amdur. Outliers is a very good capstone book to read after reading HIPS. As Gladwell paints pictures of guys Like Bill Joy and Bill Gates, you find yourself remembering Ueshiba, Kano, and Helio Gracie...how these guys happen to find success and mastery.

It is liberating for me as Outliers kinda confirms that the reciepe for success will change for each person and in that reciepe go alot of things such has work ethic, culture, up bringing, opportunities, technology, war, politics, experiences...all that stuff.

All the stuff that Ellis' book talks about in painting the picture of the past of the major players in Budo. It helps us understand the "formula" of how those guys found success.

This is fundamental, I think, in helping us define our own "formula".

We can look at the past, see what is relevant today to our own situation and then try and find those things in our own lives that we might be able to adapt or exploit, which may be entirely different from what the "old guys" experienced.

History is a good teacher.

I also think this is a healthier way (mentally) to approach our training. We can "forgive" or let ourselves off the hook on the stuff that we simply cannot do or be. Things that are not a part of our culture, or conditions that we simply can't or should not replicate. Most of us will not be a graying old, hakama wearing 80 year old bearded guy that speaks Japanese!

Then combining that with our own factors that are unique to us in the 21st Century, we can clearly and rationally develop a plan for ourselves and then drive toward reasonable goals that we can be happy with!

Anyway, some of us our well linto our "10,000 hours" some of us are just starting. Regardless of where we are in that process...it is important I think, to not only establish this mentality for the long run, but also to reflect back on our path and take credit for the fact that what we are doing or have done and give ourselves a pat on the back.

Again, a good quick read if you have not read it.