Introduction
“Practice isn’t the thing you do once your good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good” (Gladwell, 2008). In the book called “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, chapter two expresses, to successfully accomplish something you need about ten thousand hours of practice to become proficient in your field (Winner, 2015). Growing up with a family of four and a single mother I knew from an early age that I wanted to be successful and not repeat the same cycle my family had for generations before me. When I was nineteen I became a hairdresser right out of high school and was a protégé for my boss who taught me everything I needed to know. I continued to go to college part time for the next five years to get into the medical field. By the age of twenty-five I started Respiratory school for two years and graduated with a job offer to work part time. Now I balance both careers and would not have it any other way. I can elaborate on Gladwell’s philosophy by using some thoughts and themes to support his theory. First, I find that preparation and practice truly is the key to success, not just having innate talent. Second point, timing is everything and finally, passion can benefit the ten-thousand hour rule. The role of these three themes play a vital role in contributing to success and will be further discussed.
Preparation and Practice
On my first point Gladwell expresses in the beginning that to achieve success it takes preparation and practice. It is true that having this thing called “innate talent” may help the individual get a head start in life because they were born with intelligent capabilities. However, what value are these if you do not put them to good use and practice. Neurologist Daniel Levitin expresses, “Ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world class expert” (Gladwell, 2008). Gladwell uses Mozart as an example of how he started late and his best work came after twenty years. Why? Because Mozart had to put in ten thousand hours of practice to become one of the best composer’s history has today. Without preparation and practice Mozart would have become stagnant and unnoticed. As a Respiratory Therapist, this philosophy applies to me, working in ICU I always need to think fast and on my feet. Diagnosing lung disorders and treating them are the bread and butter of my daily duties. Acting fast and accordingly to cardiac arrest are sometimes nerve wrecking, yet rewarding when I save a life. School was just the foundation and beginning of my career. It was up to me to continue to practice and prepare myself with newer equipment such as ventilators or go to respiratory meetings to learn the latest breathing treatments to offer my patients. Do I have to do these things? Not really, but I choose to because the health care field is an evolving one and I only want to become the better Respiratory Therapists for my patients.
Timing
Another contribute to success in Outliers is timing and The Beatles are a perfect example. Before they blew up, they started out playing in strip clubs in Hamburg. Bruno, the club owner, provided the right timing for the Beatles to start their endeavors (Winner, 2015). Money and fame was the least of the Beatles worries, the time they got to play was all that mattered. By the end of their first year the Beatles performed over 270 (Gladwell, 2008). In the beginning, the Beatles were not the greatest on stage, but as time passed, the more they performed and the better they got. Gladwell proved in this situation that with the right timing, the right opportunities can come your way. Since I started working in the hospital I have been wanting to move up the ladder and get certified in performing intubations by myself. I had to dedicate hours in the operating room so I can learn. Well today, I have dedicated ten hours and had about four successful intubations. With time and applying more hours, I feel I will become more competent with many more successful intubations.