The journey of the proverbial ten thousand hours starts when you can clearly define who you are . What it is that you are passionate about ? What values do you stand for ? Can you detail your purpose ? Is it your personal cause or adopted ? Are you a pioneer or co-builder in what you are passionate about ?
Planning & Mobilization
Purpose or cause has to be institutionalised and then structured into a vison statement . The vision statement informs the mission statement . The clarity of purpose brings finer details in to play . The detailing of the these then brings to the shore clear objectives . This is the anchor that holds in place all the moving pieces of the great call that you embark on . Here you give form to your objectives and organise your cause into roles , deliverables , timelines and the resources required to work through the ten thousand hours .
A comprehensive environmental scan then informs your strategy .
Playing & Practise
Objectives have to meticulously be crafted into roles which create job descriptions that go on to identify the specific persons that are the best fit . There are roles that you have to build on as a person but the interdependence nature of life requires a team .
Even if the cause or a purpose is of a personal nature then the team you constitute knowingly or unknowingly will contribute to the success of your ten thousand hours . You may have a team that you did not choose but find ourselves as part of and they may include family and or friends in the background setting that you find ourselves in . Here you create use cases , make prototypes as you play and fiddle trying out ideas before you pick one or two to run with . This is also true for work flow processes and policies . You fidget until you stick to those that make work easier . This stage is the lab of ideas and bench tests which are conducted to prove and proof bankable ideas .
Project Management & Monitoring
Each part and deliverable of the purpose or cause is a project in itself . In fact , our lives in themselves are big projects with many mini projects in between . It therefore cannot be emphasised enough that project management is the one of the most valuable expertise one should acquire and sharpen . It is not about going through ten thousand hours but putting the quality in each hour . How do you ensure that there is quality
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The journey of the proverbial ten thousand hours starts when you can clearly define who you are . What it is that you are passionate about ? What values do you stand for ? Can you detail your purpose ? Is it your personal cause or adopted ? Are you a pioneer or co-builder in what you are passionate about ?
in each hour spent ? Treat each objective as a project , have a framework to manage the teams involved . Devise creative ways to get the best and most out of each scenario . We all know not all scenarios will be victorious , which means even in the losses and struggles ; find quality and build on the lessons learnt therein . Each passing day does not mean you have twenty hours less from your ten thousand . Just like study hours are not measured against time consumed but qualified learning computed over a semester .
When running each objective as a project you find then that you have to monitor and evaluate each process and deliverable . You may have to repeat some to get the desired quality . There are those instances that you may have to change tact around to achieve some deliverables . All in all , whatever it is that you do ; ensure you employ the best project management policies .
Passing the baton
This is all about what you can outsource and or delegate to get the momentum towards your purpose . It is also the courage to pass on the mantle to the most suitable person or team to see the passion and purpose to fruition . Although it is desirable to be the champion and player that gets the job done , it is also prudent wisdom to understand and embrace the fact that we may have to take a backseat and allow the best talent and effective people take over our roles so as to achieve the very best of our ultimate goal .
I am drawn to the illustration in the bible where Moses wanted to be the one to shepherd Israel into the promised land . However , God had already determined that he had run his part of the cause . In his shortcomings Moses too came to appreciate this fact and willingly groomed Joshua and Caleb to take up the mantle . He coached , mentored and equipped in the best possible manner for he knew their success was him even if he would be long gone by then .
Another great illustration of passing on the baton is showcased when David realizes he was not best placed to deliver a new temple for God in Jerusalem . He was a man after God ’ s own heart , he had led Israel in conquering all her enemies . He was a mighty King , revered and feared beyond his region . From the plunders of war and the treasures built over time , he could easily have completed the task . However , he knew it was not just about resources but God ’ s will and purpose .
This means we have to pursue goals , dreams and purposes greater than ourselves . This will enable us run our ten thousand hours with zeal . When we realize that we have done our bidding and another person or team of persons are better suited to deliver on this cause then we should build and support them to do so .
Is your purpose short-lived to just cover your lifetime ? Be generous enough to cast dreams beyond our existence and be bold to influence the future for the better . Allow your purpose and deliverable to build past your generation and possibly four lifetimes after you .
May all your pursuits to master your ten thousand hours be resilient enough to go beyond your lifetime . I believe this is the reason we have businesses that transcend centuries and impact beyond continents and several generations . Be brave , get your bidding but more so be ready to pass on the baton .
Lunani Joseph is a Technology & Governance Professional , currently serving as the County Executive Member for Public Service Management & ICT for Vihiga County . You can commune with him via email at : JLunani @ insynqueafrica . com , Instagram : @ lunanijoseph Twitter : @ joseph _ lunani LinkedIn : @ joseph-lunani .