65. Iterations, Not Hours

Malcolm Gladwell, in his famous book “Outliers,” introduced “The 10,000-Hour Rule”, suggesting that mastering a skill requires 10,000 hours of practice.

More recently, Naval Ravikant, founder of AngelList, proposed that the key difference lies in the number of iterations, not merely the hours spent.

“It’s 10,000 iterations, not 10,000 hours” — Naval

Both concepts are powerful, yet Naval’s idea offers more clarity.

As discussed in “Iterating is Adapting,” the underlying principle of iterations is to foster adaptation, which stems from a deep understanding of the context and outcomes of each iteration.

The feedback from each iteration allows us to make necessary adjustments and become more accurate.

Merely repeating a task without gaining insight from the context, which helps understand the results, is futile. Ultimately, it’s about reading and understanding the ecosystem in which we operate and which is influenced by our actions.

Put another way: “The seats in the Teatro Colón have been in the same place for over 100 years, and none of them perform ballet.”