Expertise

I read in the New Yorker that research seems to have zeroed in on 10,000 hours of practice being the magic number to be an expert at something. It doesn't seem to matter if it is basketweaving or brain surgery - you practice something for 10,000 hours, and you will be an expert. Today I finished my first 100 hours of clinicals as a nurse practitioner. 9,900 hours to go and I will be safe to see patients :). I also have about 9,700 hours of surfing practice before I can hit the pipeline. Maybe another 8,000 to go before I am ready to play my violin at Carnegie Hall. None of this takes into account actual natural talent, of course, but it is still comforting to have a magic number out there when I can expect not to embaress myself in front of people doing above activities. I should be way over 10,000 hours of parenting by now - and I certainly don't feel like any kind of expert in that arena.