10,000 Hours to Become an Expert: Why Practice Matters

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Does it take 10,000 hours to become an expert? What does research say about how much practice you need? The idea that you need 10,000 hours to become an expert is backed by the research of psychologist Anders Ericsson and is famously cited in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers. While there’s some debate around this exact figure, most agree that a lot of practice makes the difference between experts and non-experts. Read on for a look at all sides of the 10,000-hour debate.

Having a Purpose in Life: 3 Ways It Contributes to Happiness

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Where are you headed in life? What are you striving toward? Do you believe that your life has value and meaning? In The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky unpacks the factors that fuel happiness and provides practical strategies to nurture and sustain it. One way is to find and create purpose in your life. Keep reading to see how having a purpose in life can bring you lasting happiness.

Benefits of Intrinsic Motivation: Virtuous Cycles of Improvement

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What are the benefits of intrinsic motivation? How do intrinsic rewards keep you motivated? The benefits of intrinsic motivation include being able to develop virtuous cycles of improvement and practice. This means that if you enjoy practicing, you’ll get better, which means you’ll continue to enjoy practicing and stick to it. Read on to learn how to develop better patterns of improvement.

How Long Does It Take to Become Good at Something? It Depends

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How long does it take to become good at something? How much practice does it take? It takes about ten years of intentional practice to become excellent at something, but you can become better at something right away. In fact, any amount of practice is beneficial. Read for more on why practice can have such an immediate impact and how long you need to stick with something to become great.

The 4 Steps for Improving Weakness and Developing Strengths

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How can you develop your weaknesses into strengths? What does it take to strengthen your skills? Improving weaknesses and developing strengths requires not only seeing where you’re doing well but also being able to self-criticize and find weak points that you can develop into strengths. You can do this with a simple four-step process. Learn how to walk through this process and get better at anything.

What Is the Hedonic Treadmill and How Do You Get Off?

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What is the hedonic treadmill? How can you get out of the cycle of constantly chasing after more? The hedonic treadmill is a behavioral pattern where people chase after happiness but never feel content or satisfied once they get what they want. To get off the treadmill, you have to slow down and practice gratitude and appreciation for the simple things in life. Take a look at how to approach your own negative patterns.

How to Overcome the Fear of Taking Action: Start Small

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What’s the best way to deal with fear of taking action? How can you overcome your anxieties? Dealing with the fear of taking action starts with acknowledging the problem and deciding to address it directly. The best way to do this is to set a goal of facing your fear in a small, insignificant way to build confidence. Here’s more on developing courage and confidence.