10 Secrets for Those 10 Years

Malcolm Gladwell said it. So did Seth Godin before him. You need 10 years (or 10,000 hours) of practice to be really good at something.

But what do you do during those ten years? Ten years is a long time. Here are some ideas for activities to do while you're practicing your profession.

1. Work at a large company. If you can't rise over above your entry level at a big company - you're probably not going to rise on the outside either. Second, you'll feel what's it like to be responsible for a budget. If you treat it as your money - you'll probably never forget that.
 
2. Work at a small company. A boutique firm will stretch you. You'll answer phones, get coffee and get caught up in the crazy lives of the owners. The flip side - you'll get to have your thumbprint on every project that comes through the door.
 
3. Do an outside project after hours in your field. True story: While working at AT&T, I partnered with one of my vendors and we created a home video. It did so well that it partially paid for a down payment on our respective first houses. I learned a lot too.
 
4. With every single person you have meaningful contact, get their name, email, address, birthday, kids' names and where they went to school.  The more you know about your contacts - the more helpful you can be to them.  And vice versa.
 
5. Learn enough about the process and craft of what you do so that in a pinch you could do it all.  I am a video writer/producer/director. I've also learned how to shoot and edit.
 
6. Create partnerships with people who complement you - not duplicate - what you do.
   My first business was with an out of this world editor.  After three years we grossed over $1 million is sales.
 
7. Work with the best people you can find. My work is collaborative. My work gets better and better because of the people I choose to partner with (that includes DPs, editors, and graphic artists).
 
8. Be nice. Say "Please" and "Thank You". When you're working for that big company and you start hiring a bevy of freelancers. You never know which of your freelancers will become your partner down the road. And when the job is done, write a note to them congratulating them on what they did.
 
9. Keep learning new things in your field.  Easier said then done. But blog reading is a great first step.
 
10. Do it your own way. Whatever someone says - make it your own. Let me know how you are getting through your journey.

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Comments

[Jon Roemer]

I think one secret of the "ten years" is that it's actually an idea that's been around a long time. I remember learning about it in my photography class in college in 1982 - that it would take a minimum of ten years of hard work in any discipline to establish yourself.

To expand upon your point #5 above, "learning enough...", I think that it's important for two reasons. One, as you say, is so you can do it in a pinch if need be; the other is being intimately aware of how the process is done so that you can better direct others who are working for you, express your ideas in a way they'll understand, and better appreciate what they can bring to a project (tying into your points #6 & #7.)

[Christopher Ming Ryan]

@Jon

Nice points. Thanks for commenting. I totally agree!

[Scott Farrell]

I like these thoughts - long term focus on out performing.

Its more important to stretch than compete - see here http://gearedforprofit.bluepower.net.au/worst-ever-small-businessworst-ever-small-business-42

I think the biggest mistakes ALL small business make, is that they believe knowing their craft is enough.

Regardless of field of endeavor you need some marketing strategy, and skill in marketing.

[Arun Basil Lal]

I have read Yaro Starak advising to learn something new every day. Here are more.

I like the idea of saving every contact you make, I have been doing it for sometime now, you never know when you need them.

Great tips!

[Christopher Ming Ryan]

Hi Arun:

Thanks for the comment.  I have heard of Yaro but haven't followed him. Will take a peek to see what I've missing. In terms of saving every contact that you make... what's the best way to do that...?  Do you put everyone in google mail, now contacts, or some other database?

[Randy F.]

This is an excellent list, should be required reading for any entrepreneur. My own experience: at my old job, I tried to have lunches with as many colleagues from other companies as possible. People can speak more freely and open up over lunch. I also paid the tab whenever possible, to create more goodwill.

[Christopher Ming Ryan]

Good stuff, Randy. Agreed. Thanks for stopping by.