Originally Posted by jack'smom
Has anyone read Outliers? He outlines how you need to do 10,000 hours of whatever to become an expert- an expert violinist, an expert computer programmer. Hard work = excellence. I think being gifted is somewhat overrated, in the sense that it isn't enough over the long haul!

I've always heard that you need about 5 to 10 years to become an expert.

However, you have to do the right kinds of work and receive the right kinds of training and feedback. Without an appropriate mentor and appropriate feedback, you aren't going to become an expert in anything.

I would think that being gifted would certainly increase the speed with which you can internalize the appropriate feedback and move forward.