I have no business being anywhere near an automobile when the hood is up and there are tools around:

PICTURED:  Car, pre-Terry

PICTURED:  What's left of car, post-Terry

A Professor of Psychology by the name of Anders Ericsson has studied the nature of talent and posits that in order to become an expert at something, one must deliberately practice that something for 10,000 hours.  You can read more about Ericsson and his theory here.

Break it down into a 40 hour workweek, and you're looking at a minimum of 5 years before you're an expert at the job you're doing.  10 years may be a more realistic figure once you factor in lunches, breaks, holidays and goofing off on the internet.  (You know, what you're doing now.)

When I want my car fixed, I'll take it to someone with at least 5 years of experience.

I've been writing radio advertising copy since early '06.  I'm not quite an expert yet.  I work through lunches and breaks and my internet goof-off time is spent writing, so my practice time is pretty deliberate.

If you're a business owner, please keep my experience in mind before you veto my copy in favor of something that you wrote on a napkin over the weekend.  At least take my suggestions into account.

If you're a marketer, don't tell me you're a social media expert when social media itself has barely been around 10 years.  I'll take your suggestions into account, but not your word as gospel.

Knowing that 5 to 10 years of deliberate practice is what it takes, what are you an expert at?  I'd love to know.  Post below.

Your TTPK Hint for Friday is:  "Mr. Brown was the Godfather of it."

Your TTPK Hint for Sunday is:  "Next to the salt."

Your Blog Keyword for today is "5to10".  It's good for 250 WDEZ Club Points until 1700 on 3/16/10.

Be Cool,

TS