"Why I’m Building Glasp? The False Promise of the 10,000 Hour Rule"

"Why I’m Building Glasp? The False Promise of the 10,000 Hour Rule"

I remember thinking that I wanted to be of use to the world through a steady way of life like my grandfather. I was struck by the desire to prove that I existed in this world and that my life had meaning, and the urge to leave something useful behind for the world while I was still alive. While many things change over time, one thing remains the same. That is human nature, that we want to leave something good behind for future generations.

Of the tens of billions of people who have existed in human history, only a handful have survived in the form of books and traditions. "Why can’t we learn effectively from the experiences of others?" As Bismarck said, "Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others." It would be of great value to humanity and to all life on earth if the trajectory of experience that someone has followed throughout their life, especially the important parts of it, could be inherited and developed by the next person who takes the same path.

This brings us to the false promise of the 10,000 hour rule. The rule suggests that anyone can become an expert in any given domain by putting in 10,000 hours of practice, even deliberate practice. However, a recent research study from Princeton shows evidence that practice accounts for just a 12% difference in performance in various domains. In entrepreneurship and other creative fields, the rules change all the time, making deliberate practice less useful.

So, if the 10,000 hour rule isn't the key to expertise, what is? Research has shown that randomizing the information causes your brain to stay alert, helping to store information in your long-term memory. This means that the next time you want to study a new subject, you could benefit from switching things up. This unique way of learning allows for a broader understanding and a deeper connection to the subject matter.

"The fox knows many things; the hedgehog one great thing." This ancient Greek proverb emphasizes the importance of having a wide range of knowledge areas. In a study, experts were asked to make predictions in their specific domain, while others with diverse knowledge areas were also asked to make predictions. The results were surprising. The more experience and credentials the experts held, the further off the mark their predictions were. In contrast, the participants who had a wider range of knowledge areas and were not bound to a specific "expertise" domain fared better in their predictions.

Through Glasp and my life, I want to democratize access to other people's learning and experiences that they have collected throughout their lives as a utilitarian legacy. Mahatma Gandhi said, "My life is my message." Let’s make your message visible and accessible to other people.

In conclusion, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Embrace the power of collective learning: Instead of relying solely on the 10,000 hour rule, seek out diverse perspectives and experiences. Learn from the mistakes and successes of others to broaden your own understanding.

2. Randomize your learning process: Don't be afraid to switch things up when studying a new subject. Randomizing the information can help your brain stay alert and improve long-term memory retention.

3. Share your knowledge and experiences: By sharing your own learnings and experiences, you can contribute to the collective wisdom of humanity. Use platforms like Glasp to make your message visible and accessible to others.

By incorporating these strategies into your own learning journey, you can unlock the true potential of knowledge and create a lasting impact on the world.