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Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

More or Less: The 10,000 Hours Rule

Factual

Golf ball on a tee

01/03/2014

The 10,000 Hours Rule

BBC World Service - More or Less, The 10,000 Hours Rule

Is it possible to become an expert on practice alone?

Is it possible to become an expert - a professional golfer, for example - on practice alone? Or do you need innate talent?

If you practised anything for long enough, would you become a pro? Author Malcolm Gladwell popularised the idea that if you devote yourself to anything from chess to playing an instrument for 10,000 hours, you will become an expert. 

But where did the idea come from, and is it true? More or Less tells the story of how a paper published in 1993 went on to spark a debate – is practice enough, or do you need innate talent as well? 

David Epstein, author of The Sports Gene and Malcolm Gladwell explain their views. 

Plus, we hear from a photographer who quit his job to concentrate on trying to become a golf pro, despite claiming to have no natural talent.

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