Ceiling limit Options

[VH2]

Have you ever worked out how many hours practise a day 10k hours takes to reach?

The 10,000 hours thing derives from the traditional length of an apprenticeship - 5-7 years of full time work!

It is not rocket science, it is elementary arithmetic!!

40 hours per week: about 5 years
20 hours per week: about 10 years
10 hours per week: about 20 years
5 hours per week: about 40 years

<5 hours week: probably never

It makes plain how great a commitment is needed to reach a high standard and how much persistence and stamina it takes. 40 hours per week is almost 6 hours per day. That would be impossible to keep up for most folk.

[sam_1]

This concept is dealt with quite interestingly in "Outliers", by Malcolm Gladwell... well worth reading I think (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
I think that people misinterpret the 10000 hour thing - it simply means that (for musicians), at say a top conservatoire or similar, it is dedication - ie, number of hours of practice - and not 'talent' which separates the really top performers from the merely good ones. Talent can only get you so far.

[ianporsche]

I don't agree with telling pupils they've reached their ceiling. I think people should be encouraged to 'improve' whatever the circumstances and it's possible to cope with a ceiling with variations in repertoire so that someone still gains enjoyment.

I believe in unlimited ambition because it makes you push yourself. Does it matter if you 'spot' your ceiling?


My ceiling as a clarinettist was far higher than my ceiling as a violist or pianist. I was desperate (in my youth) to be a concert pianist but I gradually realised I fell very very far short. However I was well on my way to a successful professional career as a clarinettist. Now that I only play the viola my ceiling is clearly in the low ranks and I push myself very gently but accept my limitations and hugely enjoy what I do achieve.

But I refuse to place a ceiling on my full-time profession (I am a painter). There I am driven to improve each day regardless of what I might achieve long term and despite the fact I am already a professional.

Reach for the stars and you may reach the moon. Don't reach for the stars and you fall back to earth.

Ceilings/painters- why am I thinking of Michaelangelo ?

[sunil]

Daughter has hit that target for past 3 years. It could be different story, when she moves to Secondary school next year unless she does home-schooling or a music specialist school.

20 hours per week: about 10 years

I'm sure he will settle into that routine very soon, assuming his peers are doing the same!

Best wishes

Tomorrow he's supposed to do 2 hours 40 and he'll definitely do 1 hour 40 (at school) but I just can't see how he could fit in another hour. We are going to go through reeds very fast.

[Gertrude]

I was thinking the ceiling is what the teacher hits when you do not do your practice!

[Pianotimes]

I was thinking the ceiling is what the teacher hits when you do not do your practice!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[JamesK]

There's 2 sides to this debate: Firstly, telling some people that they have reached their limit may spur them on to do better - This works for me (though not in music). But of course it may have an undesired result.

But sometimes it's the teacher that has reached the ceiling for the student. The teaching style for the student may be stopping him/her from progressing. It must be very hard on teachers who have pupils that are doing very well and have a good relationship with the teacher, yet have a few pupils which are 'going nowhere'. So the teacher just maybe, might be the wrong teacher.

[Robodoc]

However high the ceiling, there's still infinite space above it - if you know how to get there. If you're locked in the room then that's where your ceiling is.