There has been an age old conflict about what is more important work ethic or talent when it comes to elite performance. The myth is that it is all about talent. The questions have been poised: “How long and how much work it takes to excel at an endeavor?” “Will talent shorten the time required for elite success?”
Malcom Gladwell introduced a compelling concept in his bestselling book: Outliers. Based on studies of people and the habits of those who had achieved an elite level of performance in sports, music, computer programming, etc. – Gladwell concludes “it’s an extraordinarily consistent answer in an incredible number of fields”:
“… you need to have practiced, to have apprenticed, for 10,000 hours before you get good.”
The evidence is strongly on Mr. Gladwell’s side.
Hard work and determination over many years is what it takes to be great at something.
Studies have shown that talent may shorten the time frame a little, but not enough to matter.
The fact is, a lazy person with talent will never become great.
So, when you factor in the hours of practice every day for years needed to become proficient at a sport, or performing on a musical instrument or in weight lifting or in computer programming, as a hair stylist or as a chef; it is not hard to see why Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can become an issue for those that utilize their hands intensely and want to become great.
For instance, many athletes get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Golfers, baseball players, tennis professionals, and racquetball players all experience a higher incidence of Carpal Tunnel than the rest of the population. The gripping of a racquet, bat or club with forceful twisting motion focuses intense pressure on the base of the hand right over the Carpal Tunnel.
It has been found that this principle of expert performance after 10,000 hours does not only apply to the highly visible fields of athletics and music performance, but also to almost any profession.
These would include: Chiropractic Care, Hair Styling, Court Reporters, Jewelers, Artists, Chefs, Plumbers, Electricians, Pilots, Dentist, Dental Hygienists, Veterinarians, Pet Groomers, etc. – All Professions that have a high incidence of CTS.
How determined are you to become an expert quickly?
“It is a “Catch 22”, if you do not put in the hours you can’t become great, but if you put in the hours you will get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Thankfully I found the Carpal Solution Treatment. It keeps my hands strong and ready to play, no worries!”
Farm Club – Professional Baseball Player who hopes to make it to the “Show”. Pawtucket, Rhode Island
If you are not working full time at your passion, you must do what you do for 2 or 4 hours every day for about decade without interruption to reach greatness.
Interruptions can be costly and likely will require more time than 10,000 hours.
Perhaps 12,000 hours or 15,000 hours, if there are long bouts of downtime to rest from repetitive stress and injury.
Repetitive stress can be confusing for people because the effect accumulates over time. It is human nature to expect an injury to come from high impact and extreme stress. Most people are caught by surprise with repetitive stress injuries and fatigue injuries. All of a sudden their hands are aching and sore and they are losing their grip strength or waking up multiple times each night with numb hands and losing sleep. These are all common symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
The person often wonders, “Why is something that I have done since I was a child with ease, like swinging a bat, now causing such pain and is so hard to do?” The accumulative effect of repetitive stress builds up over time and then suddenly, it becomes a chronic syndrome like Carpal Tunnel (CTS).
Once you feel pain doing the thing that you love – you stop loving the endeavor. It is a fact.