Routine

Six weeks for a habit.

10,000 hours to master.

Have you heard of these guidelines?

If I apply these notions to this blog then I should be habitually posting in this blog by about November 5, 2011.  Unfortunately I won't master it until on or around September 19, 2066 (at which point I will be 99 years old and hopefully using voice recognition software or brain implants to prepare my Modern Times blog podcasts/writings/shout outs to other life forms in the universe).

I have a daughter that is in her final year of high school this year so our talk is often of plans for next year.  Last night at dinner I shared with her how it took me approximately 3 years of my undergraduate degree to figure out that a specific routine worked best for my university GPA (and graduate school prospects).  The routine was simple and I managed to keep it up.  This resulted in my average being raised considerably and I was able to apply to graduate school a couple of years after my undergrad knowing that they wouldn't jettison my application directly into the rubbish bin.

The routine was this:  Schedule (earlyish) morning classes for most of the week.  In my second last term (when I established the routine) I distinctly remember having Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes at 8:30 and then I believe I had 10:30 classes on Tuesday and Thursday.  The other secret to this routine was to actually attend these classes - which I did.  It was really difficult for me to do this at first but after a few weeks it was a breeze.

Today, as I looked at my blank blogger page I let my mind wander as to what on earth I could possibly write about.  I felt completely uninspired and started thinking that maybe today I didn't need to write.  The next thoughts became about why I started this venture.  And that led directly to my discussions with my daughter last night.

Sometimes routine can be quite ordinary.  But on the way to mastery it is essential.  Even if mastery might be just a pipe dream :)