NOVEMBER 201919ly produced the worlds greatest marathoners and long distance running champions. How so?The mountainous terrain at 2,500 mtrs. altitude is difficult even to walk particularly with the very thin air. Schools are located between 5 to 10 kms from villages. From age 5 young children run to school and back each day, logging in about 1500 kms each year. They build up stamina and endurance capability without even trying.Youngsters elsewhere in the world start at 10 or 12 practicing 2 hours per day achieve only 500 to 700 hours of running and training practice per year. Where as the time the children have reached the age of 15, Kenyans in the Rift valley would have already clocked 10,000 to 15,000 kms, easily and consistently zoom ahead, outclassing all competition.The evidence is very clear. In all of history only 17 Americans have run the marathon under a time of 2:10. In contrast 32 Kenyans do it in just one month.Practicing, even in a state of the art sports infra-structure without the requisite hours and passion often results in athletes being outclassed by more practiced competitor.Michael Phelps is the worlds greatest swimming legend ever. He has won 28 Olympic medals. According to his coach and trainer Bob Bowman Phelps practised every day for 8 hours a day without a break for 5 years, even on Christmas, and his birthday.While examples in competitive sport are more prominent, the 10 year, 10,000 hours rule applies to all aspects of life. Take the case of the famed scien-tist Albert Einstein. He started thinking about Physics and relativity and several associated theories while still a student. Working as a clerk in the Patents of-fice in Bern he produced his theories after 10 years of sustained effort.Another example is Mozart the great music com-poser. He studied and practised for a decade be-fore the world suddenly noticed the great composer and musician.Even political families evolve into political dynas-ties because members are groomed from childhood to be political leaders. Same applies to some profes-sions, military leaders, business families and even criminal gangs.If one looks at the case of businesses and industries. Business families normally expose their children to the activities of the business at a very early age.I can share with you my own experience. Brought up within a family of industrialists we brothers got the opportunity to accompany our father and uncle to spend many weekends and holidays either at the office, factory or some assigned tasks. It was fun and without realisation a great learning. Undertaking little errands and tasks, listening and observing passively and with-out conscious realisation I received an education and training about industry, business and most importantly life.What are the lessons? I submit that, 1. Success is very rarely an accident. Talents gifted by nature, have to be developed or else they will never achieve their true potential. 2. That practice makes perfect, because with each practice comes a new learning and the opportunity to improve. 3. The typical time required to achieve mastery is 10,000 hours, cycles and usually a minimum of 10 years of time with constant effort. 4. Catching talented people young and exposing them to the opportunities to discover their talents is even more essential. 5. Passion to succeed is also key, but notes on that will have to emerge in a separate article.Evidence shows that, when people are exposed to real life situations in various walks of life early as in childhood and adolescence, evolve with a greater un-derstanding of life and themselves. When children are molly coddled, disconnected from real life situations until they are mature adults ac-tually puts them at a great disadvantage compared to more 'worldly wise' peers. Call it what you may, EQ, IQ, TQ etc. is lower amongst delayed learners than others who receive ear-lier and greater exposure. This is where the power of sports can improve hu-man character and quality index. Catching talented people young and exposing them to the opportunities to discover their talents is more essential
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