The 10,000 hour rule says it takes at least 10,000 hours to achieve mastery in a subject you choose. However, since there is a huge difference between automatic practice and focused practice, we can rightly say that superior performance is not automatically achieved by extensive experience and domain-related knowledge.
To sum it up, it is not about counting hours – it is about how you practice. When you want to improve, you cannot just run on autopilot. You may appear to perform well when doing so, but in reality there is no improvement, claims the addicted2success.com website.
1) Have a well-defined goal
It is important to have goals. Be specific focus on the goal not the activity or skill. Set aside a specific time and place where you are only going to work on things that will help you develop and improve. Getting good at public speaking is not a good goal. Speaking at the next team meeting without any pauses while looking at eyes of others, now that is a goal worth following!
2) Be motivated
Motivation is what drives you. It will keep you moving toward your goal. Try to imagine your motivation as a story. Think about how every single goal fits into this story. Think about how your goals, as you gradually accomplish each one, bring you closer and closer to the desired state. Every goal has an end purpose and will provide you with something once you have achieved it.
3) Get some feedback
Experts often get feedback, from their mentors or coaches. A coach can objectively evaluate what you are doing and what you should be doing. However, not all experts have the opportunity to have a coach. There is another way how to get feedback by evaluating others. If you cannot objectively evaluate yourself, this is simply the best alternative. Evaluate others to see how good you are in comparison. Learn from the mistakes and successes others have experienced.
-jk-