[CQ-Contest] Are contesters born or made?

[Hank Greeb]

In a book titled "the Outliers" the author states rather convincingly 
that practice hones ability.  One example was that Bill Gates spent 
hours and hours with a time-share computer which his (rather wealthy) 
school district rented from a nearby university during hours which it 
wasn't in use.  After the class was over, he and his cohorts asked, and 
received, full privileges to use the time share computers when it wasn't 
being used by the university.  It is estimated that he had more than 
10,000 hours of computer programming experience when he started 
college.  (and he never finished).  It is purported that 10,000 hours of 
practice and study is a "magic number" between the elite practitioners, 
and the masses.

The book is required reading for anyone who desires to truly excel in 
his/her chosen (a)vocation.

73 de n8xx Hg

On Mon, 10 May 2010 12:26:36 -0000, "Randy Thompson K5ZD" 
<k5zd at charter.net> wrote:
>
> Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 12:26:36 -0000
> From: "Randy Thompson K5ZD"<k5zd at charter.net>
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Are contesters born or made?
> To:<cq-contest at contesting.com>
>
> I just finished listening to a fascinating interview with Matthew Syed, author of the book Bounce.  The book explores the idea that practice is far more important than talent at achieving in the upper levels of sport.
>
> Link to show: http://www.onlyagame.org/2010/04/bounce/ Follow the Download the Podcast link to get the interview in various forms.
>
> We don't talk about practice much in relation to contesting, but I believe it does make a difference.  I owe much of my success to having spent hours and hours during my teenage years working traffic nets, chasing DX, and competing in contests with a very small station.
>
> Very thought provoking interview.  Check it out.
>
> Randy, K5ZD
>