This one is a little bit embarrassing.

I started playing the drums when I was 12. The son of a drummer and pianist, I suppose it was only a matter of time.

38 years later I am a competent drummer who is very comfortable with what I can (and can’t) do with the instrument.

It feels good to be good at something but, if I’m really honest with myself, I haven’t actually improved as a drummer in about 20 years.

That feels astonishing to me.

Being a drummer is an important part of who I am and the idea that 20 years could pass while simply treading water seems crazy.

But it’s really just a matter of priorities, and growing as a drummer felt less important once I achieved a certain level of proficiency.

That might sound cocky, or woefully shortsighted, but there it is.

I did some quick math last night and if I had spent 1 hour per day for 38 years focused on developing as a drummer I would have logged nearly 14,000 hours of growth.

I’m fully convinced that the gap between me (and anyone, really) and being a truly great drummer, is that 14,000 hours of development. 

Well, not 14,000 specifically, but doing a little focused work over and over for years and decades. 

Doing 14,000 hours of work seems like a crazy commitment looking forward.

But looking back, an hour a day doesn’t seem like a whole lot relative to the progress it would unlock.

For you, dear reader, this is a reminder that there will be moments when being “good enough” or “better than most” as a leader feels like an opportunity to rest.

But there is always something new to learn and there will always be a new challenge around the corner ready to test your abilities.

This is not a call to “grind” or otherwise develop a relentless obsession for more.

This is a call to never expect today’s skills to carry you through tomorrow’s problems and to invest in consistent growth that compounds over time.

You don’t need to acquire 14,000 hours of growth this year or even this decade.

But don’t discount what a few hours of learning and development each week can become over the course of a career.

TRY THIS: What is a skill you’d like to improve or something you want to learn more about? Could you take a class at a local university? Find an online course? Engage with a coach? Learn more on YouTube?

Ask yourself every single week: What did I learn this week? What should I be learning next week?

Consistency over intensity…

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