It's 9AM
Two beers in on a ten beer conversation and he dropped a gem.
“Twenty hours,” he said.
That’s all it takes.
You won’t be an expert.
Not even close.
But if you want to be “good” at something…
Like playing banjo
Or editing videos
Or writing better books.
Or even finishing the hundred that you’ve started.
All it takes is twenty hours of Focus.
Twenty hours of concentration.
It is, he said, the ultimate hack.
And I scoffed.
Because I was told it takes 10,000 hours.
That’s a hell of a lot longer than 20.
Except…
If I sat down and wrote with ass in the seat for 20 hours in a week, the maths add up.
2000 words an hour x 20 hours = 40,000 words, right?
Heck, that’s a book.
And I do that now, just not with the focus I need to drill in with it.
I write here, I write there, I put in words on It’s 9AM and spread across shorts and tales.
I put in time on videos and new stories, and uploading old books to new places.
Nothing like the laser focus I need.
It made me think about running too.
I used to put in twenty hours a week on my feet.
Logging lots of miles in the Florida sun.
Some in the Sunshine State rain too.
I was thinking about it as I cranked out a too slow mile last week.
In FL, I could get off the couch and run a marathon distance on a whim.
Often on Saturdays, I did.
Talking about it now seems like some old man talking about his glory days.
Because now I can’t.
But it is because I’m not putting in the Focus I once did.
How much could you do with 20 hours of work?
If you lifted weights for 20 hours a week, how good would you be?
Singing?
Working on a side hustle?
Picking up a new instrument or new hobby?
Finding twenty hours isn’t that hard.
Skip TV and do two hours a night, and if you can drill down the focus part, you would be done in ten days.
I think about this as I’m looking at the long list of what needs to be done to reach the “GOAL”(S) and ponder.
Because it can’t be that hard.
10 is putting in 20 hours a week to be a better than average player.
He’s done it for years and I’ve driven him, and played catch in the front, and set up the net for batting, and cheered and filmed and studied film with him.
Sometimes we just call it playing.
Which is what I used to call running.
Going outside to Play.
And it’s how I feel about writing, because making up tales and stories and scenarios is fun for me.
Now I wonder if the old man is right or if he’s just feeling buzzy.
Or just playing.
Which brings me to OUR CHALLENGE.
That’s right, you.
And me.
Pick one thing you want to do.
One thing that pops in your mind first, an “if only I could” deal.
Like playing rock songs on a banjo, or finally making that podcast I’ve been planning (the other one).
Or finishing this one book to get to you.
What is the ONE THING you want to do?
Now look at your week.
Where can you carve out your 20 hours?
Step two; for both of us is to go into the comments of this and type it out.
I want to (insert yours here).
Then work it.
For 20 hours.
This week.
Or 10 days.
Or as long as it takes.
I’m going to.
And then let’s do an update on the challenge.
Let me know how did you do?
And I’ll update you on mine.
Wish it could be over a cold one, but we’ll make do.
Now GET AFTER IT.
your FREE SUBSCRIPTION to THE HUSTLE. I learned today that Meta (Facebook) increased it’s market share by 179 BILLION in one day on Friday AND today is the day Charlie Chaplin (and others) set up their own Movie Studio to compete with the big boys. (And give artists more control over profits on their work).
You Should Also Grab:
A drunk pilot, a mob doll princess, her bodyguard and a psycho AI are the only hope to save the galaxy. We’re doomed.
How far would you go to protect your kids?
BATTLEFIELD Z COMPLETE – MASSIVE BOXSET (20+ books)
A master assassin is hunted by the men who taught him how to kill.
THE SHADOWBOXER FILES – Massive Boxset
Next: Go grab these FREEBIES
Free Book Friday Paranormal, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror & Shifters Jan 26 group promo
Epic Sci Fi and Fantasy Freebies!
You Have the Right to Remain Magic – Any Spell You Use Can Be Used Against You
Witchmas - The Marshal of Magic Boxset
Round up the Posse and Head ‘em off at the Pass
The Round Up – Big Boxset of classic western adventure
AND
Aliens are Invading Earth – What would you do?
BEACHHEAD BOXSET COLLECTED ADVENTURES
Don’t want to UPGRADE but still want to support It’s 9AM?
Go listen to FLYOVER ZOMBIE for free
PLUS