In the year 2008 Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outlier” was published. The book stated different factors that contribute to high levels of success. However the one thing that stood out and entered the common consciousness was the “10,000 hour rule”
The 10,000 hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers,” suggests that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to become an expert in a particular field. This idea has been debated and there are differing opinions about its validity.
The Magic in your fingers
The German language is beautiful and has words feelings and actions that don’t have a direct equivalent in other languages. Fingerspitzengefühl, a German term meaning “fingertip feeling,” refers to the ability to have a keen sense of judgment or intuition about a situation. This term is often used in the context of sports or other physical activities, but it can also be applied to mental or intellectual pursuits.
The neurosurgeon’s precise incision, the violinist’s perfect performance, the footballer’s ease in dribbling the ball, and the cricketer’s perfect cover-drive all require intuition and automatic ability. These skills are developed through consistent practice and repetition. When someone has been practicing or doing something regularly, they are able to instinctively do the right thing without thinking about it.
Morphine vs Ketorolac
In the 2019 movie “Knives Out,” a wealthy patriarch named Harlan is the target of a plot by his own family, who want him dead so they can inherit his wealth. To achieve this, his grandson swaps the contents of his medication, replacing the ketorolac with morphine in the hopes that he will overdose.
Despite the label on the medication being incorrect, the nurse administering the medication, Marta, is able to instinctively tell that something is off and gives Harlan the correct medication. When she sees the label and realizes what has happened, Marta mistakenly believes that she has poisoned Harlan. In an act of self-sacrifice, Harlan instructs Marta to create a false alibi and then takes his own life.
This is an example of Fingerspitzengefühl, or the ability to have a keen sense of judgment or intuition about a situation. In this case, Marta is able to differentiate between the two medications based on their viscosity, even though the labels have been swapped.
Instinctive decision-making and intuition are common traits among experts in various fields. From the quick thinking of a football player to the strategic moves of a chess grandmaster to the diplomatic responses of a top diplomat, these actions demonstrate the power of Fingerspitzengefühl.
Practice and Talent
It is generally accepted that practice is important for developing expertise in any field. The more time you spend practicing, the better you are likely to become. However, the 10,000 hour rule is just an estimate and the actual time needed to become an expert may vary based on the individual and activity.
Quality of practice is also important. Simply putting in the hours may not be enough if you’re not practicing in a way that helps you improve. It’s important to find a balance between quantity and quality when it comes to practice.
Practice is important, but it’s not the only factor in becoming an expert. Natural ability, talent, and other inherent traits can also play a significant role in how quickly and easily someone is able to learn and excel in a particular field.
Fingerspitzengefühl and Intangible Skills
In addition to technical skills, Fingerspitzengefühl also requires good judgment, intuition, and the ability to make quick decisions. These qualities cannot be developed solely through practice and may require other experiences or training to develop.
For example, a tennis player may have spent thousands of hours practicing their swing, but if they don’t have the ability to read their opponent’s movements and make quick decisions on the court, they may not reach their full potential.
Conclusion
While the 10,000 hour rule may be a helpful estimate for some activities, it’s important to remember that becoming an expert requires a combination of factors including practice, natural ability, and intangible skills like judgment and intuition. Fingerspitzengefühl requires a combination of technical skills and intangible qualities that cannot be developed solely through practice.
If you are interested in learning more, watch this brilliant video by Derek Muller. He speaks about the 4 things it takes to be an expert. These are:
- Repeated attempts with feedback
- Valid Environment
- Timely feedback
- Not getting too comfortable
