How Long Does It Take To Get Good At Something?

Padawanbater2

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
I mean really good, like expert levels?

If you spent 5 years, every day, doing something, do you think you would be up there with the best in the world?

How long would it take? 20 years? Depend on what it is?

I'd say 5 years would be plenty of time for just about anything. MMA, if you wanted to become the champion of whatever weight division you were in, I think if you spent the entire time training and studying and improving with nothing else on your mind. Total focus, 5 years you would have a likely chance at becoming the champion in the UFC. Art, if you spent 5 years studying and drawing and improving, you'd be up there with the best. Dance, football, running, anything... Do most of us just lose focus on our goals over time or what?
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Imo a necessary ingredient is talent. I guarantee you ... put me through five intensive years and I'd still be lousy at, say, trompe l'oeil murals. Or yodeling. Or any Olympic sport except, say, Bingo. cn
 
Unnk

Unnk

Well-Known Member
well i wouldnt say talent is the limiting factor

physical limitations play a big role a guy with short stocky legs is probably not gonna be the best long distance runner

but hell id bet hed be a beast on the football field

but lack of motivation is the big problem

apathy is the new name of the game
 
ganjames

ganjames

Well-Known Member
I think people just get bored when they don't see positive results as fast as they would like, patience plays a huge role in learning new things.

Finding what you love to do when you're still younger (early teens) I think plays a huge role too, you're a lot less busy at that age and have more time to put your creativity into something you love doing. And I'm sure starting these things while the brain is developing has a lot to do with it as well.
 
Unnk

Unnk

Well-Known Member
ganjames you got a point too many people have a problem with instant gratification
 
Unnk

Unnk

Well-Known Member
ive always wanted to try my hand at blowing im sick of having to spend so much on oil rigs
 
billcollector99

billcollector99

Well-Known Member
Padawanbater2 said:
I mean really good, like expert levels?

If you spent 5 years, every day, doing something, do you think you would be up there with the best in the world?

How long would it take? 20 years? Depend on what it is?

I'd say 5 years would be plenty of time for just about anything. MMA, if you wanted to become the champion of whatever weight division you were in, I think if you spent the entire time training and studying and improving with nothing else on your mind. Total focus, 5 years you would have a likely chance at becoming the champion in the UFC. Art, if you spent 5 years studying and drawing and improving, you'd be up there with the best. Dance, football, running, anything... Do most of us just lose focus on our goals over time or what?
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Depends on the person, and the thing they are trying to get good at.

Isnt that what doctors go to years of school for, and internships and shit like that.


No way you could become the worlds best doctor in only 5 years.


Same goes for Rocket Scientist, or any other activity that takes intelligence... as a majority of our population is just plain stupid...
 
sso

sso

Well-Known Member
talent = interest, obsession and the right equipment for it (the better the body fits the situation (including the brain))

though the last requirement is fluid. (meaning its not an absolute what is the best equipment for the job)

talent built in 5 years? depends..

personally i think that great talent is built over many lifetimes (life after life dedicating yourself to some area of interest)
but you´d have to believe in reincarnation to agree with that i suppose :)

..

dunno, personally, now, i can pretty much create melodies at will,point blank (not saying they are great ;) lol) but thats after 20 years of somewhat obsessively messing with it.
mozart was doing that at 5 (though i personally dont think that many of his melodies were any good, though some great(but then he was much older (well, 18 or so lol)
 
billcollector99

billcollector99

Well-Known Member
Others have innate talents and abilities, and if you can find what those are, it is much easier to find what you will be good at.

Some people just have to realize, they are gonna be stuck scrubbing toilets for the rest of their lives, cause that's what they are "good" at, lol.
 
dtp5150

dtp5150

Well-Known Member
5 years. 10 years to really get good. 20 yrs ur not gonna get any better, i mean ....the marginal increase in "mastery" gets lower and lower
 
billcollector99

billcollector99

Well-Known Member
Damn Thats too long of a learning curve for me...

Life is to short to take that long to master something, you better find a way to speed that process up ;)
 
sso

sso

Well-Known Member
dtp5150 said:
5 years. 10 years to really get good. 20 yrs ur not gonna get any better, i mean ....the marginal increase in "mastery" gets lower and lower
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nah, i think that would depend on the individual, but true in most cases perhaps.

and also depending on what is being improved.
 
sso

sso

Well-Known Member
billcollector99 said:
Damn Thats too long of a learning curve for me...

Life is to short to take that long to master something, you better find a way to speed that process up ;)
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you cant really "master" anything you dont enjoy.

and when you enjoy it, the time involved becomes irrelevant.

you are just thinking of mastering something to get money.
 
FuzzyHaze

FuzzyHaze

Member
I read a book called Outliers which was a sociology book that related different success stories and drew conclusions on them. The book showed facts that people that are great at something hit that master level after 10,000 hours of practice in their respective field. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, sports atheletes, etc.
 
billcollector99

billcollector99

Well-Known Member
sso said:
you cant really "master" anything you dont enjoy.

and when you enjoy it, the time involved becomes irrelevant.

you are just thinking of mastering something to get money.
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Not necessarily, usually if you have a high iq once you master something you get bored and move on to the next thing...
 
sso

sso

Well-Known Member
depends on what you are mastering really..

well, mastering is a rather relative term as well..

if you can master something completely its a rather limited field you are in.. (or your limitations stop you from going further)
 
billcollector99

billcollector99

Well-Known Member
sso said:
depends on what you are mastering really..

well, mastering is a rather relative term as well..

if you can master something completely its a rather limited field you are in.. (or your limitations stop you from going further)
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Exactly what i was gonna point out next.

Its easy to "Master" something like picking your nose.

Much harder to master something like levitation.
 
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