SPEND 10,000 HOURS - AND BECOME A GOLF PRO?
The Osgood File. Sponsored in part by Auto Owners Insurance, the No Problem People. Visit AutoOwners.Com. This is Charles Osgood.
How long would you have to study and practice to become one of the best at something - anything?
In his bestselling book "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell put a number on it.
SOT - Malcolm Gladwell, author
"And the minimum amount appears to be about 10,000 hours - which works out to 10 years." (:05)
But a guy named Dan McLaughlin has decided to put that theory to a test.
SOT - Dan McLaughlin
"And what I'm testing is whether you can open the right doors for yourself at 30 years old, put in your 10,000 hours and transition in life to become an expert in any field." (:11)
What field? You'll find out in a minute...
((( BREAK )))
Our CBS News colleague Jim Axelrod found Dan McLaughlin doing what he has decided to master.
VO - Jim Axelrod, CBS News Correspondent
"In Portland, Oregon, Dan McLaughlin is living the dream - or at least 'the dream' as a lot of people would define it. For six hours a day, six days a week, McLaughlin plays golf." (:13)
SOT - Dan McLaughlin, with Jim Axelrod
"(Axelrod:) You ever get tired of playing? (McLaughlin:) Every 10 or 12 days or so, I usually take a day off. (laughs)" (:05)
Dan quit his job to devote himself entirely to golf.
A ten-year-old kid who made that sort of commitment would be 20 in ten years.
VO - Jim Axelrod
"But Dan McLaughlin was 30 - he didn't have ten years. What he did have was 100,000 dollars that he'd saved - and a penchant for frugal living." (:09)
SOT - Dan McLaughlin, with Jim Axelrod
"(Axelrod:) How many pair of pants do you own? (McLaughlin:) I have my golf pants and then I have my non-golf pants. (Axelrod:) Dan, that's two. (McLaughlin, laughs:) I either golf or I'm not golfing. I have two pairs of pants." (:09)
He's become a pretty good golfer.
VO - Jim Axelrod
"But McLaughlin doesn't want to just be good. After his 10,000 hours, McLaughlin wants to play on the PGA Tour." (:07)
That is a long shot, he's been told.
SOT - Dan McLaughlin, with Jim Axelrod
"(McLaughlin:) You know, I've put in hard work. I've stressed myself out. But I'm following a dream. And I... (Axelrod:) And how could that be anything other than a success? (McLaughlin:) Exactly. I'm just one person and the project is about inspiring other people to follow their dreams." (:14)
The Osgood File. Charles Osgood on the CBS Radio Network. |
|
|
