the 100-hour rule: a note on beating 95%
I know it’s the beginning of the year and there’s a LOT of hullabaloo going around when it comes goal setting, resolutions, planning, etc. and it can get a bit overwhelming to even figure out what you want to accomplish, let alone map out the path to get there.
HOWEVER, the other day I listened to a podcast¹ about one thing you can do to set yourself up for success when it comes to working towards things you want to accomplish and it has me BUZZING because it seems really tangible.
Allow me to explain.
We’ve likely all heard the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to master something (a la Malcolm Gladwell in his 2008 book Outliers). His premise is that it takes around 10,000 hours of intentional effort to achieve mastery in whatever skill you’re going for (we’re talking top 1% of the top 1% type mastery. Best of the best kinda deal). So, as an example, if you want to become amazing at playing the violin, or be a legendary composer or a master gardener, or invent something epic, Gladwell argues you’d need 10,000 hours of deliberate effort to hit mastery. (And for reference, 10,000 hours breaks down to about 20 hours a week for 10 years.)
Now, I can’t say whether or not the 10k rule in fact results in “mastery” … but at first glance (and second and third glance), 10,000 hours seems daunting to me, and to be honest — I don’t think I want to dedicate 4-5 hours everyday to master just one thing, I love too many things! I want to be a jack of many trades, not a master of one!
So here’s where it gets good — what if I told you that we could slice two zero’s off of the end of that number and you could still be substantially successful at obtaining a goal or endeavor or become proficient in something?
Enter the 100-hour rule.
An article² I read (after listening to the podcast), says it only takes 100 hours to go from knowing nothing to knowing more than 95% of the population (!!!) which is enough to make you competent in that area, or even to set you apart.
MORE THAN 95%??? Are you kidding?! Let’s gooooo. 💪
If you can dedicate 100 hours to something, then you’ll be substantially more proficient, qualified, and skilled towards whatever it is you’re working towards, and to that end, possibly even more so than 95% of your peers! Amazing.
So what does that look like realistically in a year? ⏳
I’ll break it down for you:
17 minutes per day, 7 days a week.
20 minutes per day, 6 days a week.
23 minutes per day, 5 days a week.
30 minutes, 4 days a week.
38 minutes, 3 days a week.
57 minutes, 2 days a week. (call it an hour)
1 hour, 53 minutes, 1 day a week. (call it 2 hours)
And this 100-hour rule doesn’t even have to be divided into a year — if you wanted to dedicate an hour a day to whatever it is you’re working towards, you could be proficient or see real change in a little over 3 months! It’s really a ‘choose your own adventure’ type deal. Also, sidenote, this reminds me of another blog post I wrote called Resilience Required, where I talked about small drops in the bucket adding up over time.
20 minutes a day?!! Pshhhh, that’s nothing in the scheme! Think about how much time we spend scrolling!
So, there you have it, my friends. Whatever it is you’re wanting to do in 2023 and beyond — be it reading more books, learning to knit, taking up calligraphy, or learning to budget. Or maybe you want to begin writing a book, revamp an exercise habit, learn guitar, spend more time outside, learn to meditate, begin to journal, take up photography, become more disciplined in your prayer life — whatever it is you want to do, I hope you’ll feel motivated to carve out a mere 17 to 20 minutes per day to invest in something that matters to you, because it really adds up!
And if you’re feeling REALLY eager — why not try to be better at two things? Read for 20 minutes. Go on a walk for 20 minutes. Boom.
If you’re like me and you enjoy tracking things, I’ve created a free, downloadable 100 hours tracking sheet so you can keep a log of your progress. Just fill out the form below! (And I won’t spam you or sell your email, I just wanna know who’s tracking alongside me!)
Comment down below what you’re gonna spend 100 hours of effort on! I’d love to hear ‘em.
Here’s to drops in the bucket and getting good at the things we want to be good at. I’m rooting for you! 💪
💯
Notes:
¹: 100 Hour Rule (Now Is The Time To Do It) - Cabral Concept
²: 100 Hour Rule - Modern Ms. Darcy 
