The famous "10,000-hour rule", put forward by Dr. K Anders' research,  that says you can master "anything" with 10,000 hours of “dedicated practice” (as long as you are naturally good enough with the skill), was found to have some caveats. This concept also explains that no matter your initial talent (which is often very overrated), you will need at least 10,000 hours to reach world-class level for any given skill. 

Roger Federer may have attained the most advanced technique and success in the history of tennis because his body and mind were a natural fit for the sport- but he would never have reached this level if he hadn't played and trained harder than most from the moment he could walk. 

New research conducted since 2000, notably by Anders, yielded more insight into what we're all fascinated about and can be summed up in one word: mastery. Being the best or among the very best in the world at something.

Here are 7 things Anders learned about how to become a "peak" performer on top of putting the hours in:

1) Train to do things that you can’t do - yet  

Laszlo Polgar raised three prodigies. But the concept of prodigy is a myth, as we've seen.

He had three daughters, the Polgar sisters.

They were world-class chess players. Two became world champions. 

But they weren’t born with some kind of "chess playing talent". Talent is just a concept that mainly tends to decrease motivation.

The Polgar sisters trained, and trained, and trained again. Whenever their father would spot any possible play they hadn't practiced, he would just focus on it. 

2) There is no "can’t"

People have been convinced that as an adult, say after 30, you’re pretty much fixed, “…that there’s now a limit or some cap on what you can do in the future.”

They’re wrong. Well, of course you won't become the fastest marathon runner if you start at 80. 

Whenever you start something new, you may be late, but you still get a shot at achieving a lot. 

Especially with the non-physical masteries. 

3) Predict today. Just today

I don’t want to know my future. Predictions are dreams that become worries.

How do you change your life? I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what works for me.

Do things you love. Everyday.

And practice. Improve 1% a day.

Practicing something you love takes away the pain of doing the annoying stuff.

And time passes.

Your future slips in. And you’re there with new skills. New opportunities. And a new future.

No predictions. Just presence.

4) Follow your motivating source

Writing helps me sort things out. If it can help people, great, but I love writing on pretty much anything I come across. Or on past experiences. 

No matter if someone reads me or not, I'll still do it. I remember writing to an ex various types of reflexions, I knew my emails would be put directly in the trash, but I felt better once I put what I had in mind in writing. 

That’s my motivating source.

But how would you guide someone to find their area?

Look at “the joy you will get when you eventually are able to master it.”

There’s a fountain inside. You have one. And if you follow it, you’ll always have something that flows.

You can use it to reach new levels, Anders says, “but that is ultimately not the reward itself.”

“For example, if you’re a musician and able to play in front of an audience, and actually feel how that audience is moved by your music, those are your driving forces.”

They’re “key to reaching exceptional levels,” he says.

5) Get teachers…

6) …until you find the right teacher

All the greats had great teachers.

“You need a specialized teacher with accumulated knowledge,” Anders says.

First you learn the basics. Then practice. Get feedback. And advance. The feedback loop is necessary. 

Socrates, Einstein, Michelangelo. They all reached mastery. And made unique contributions.

But you do need a teacher to truly make a difference.

Find your mentor, you need him or her to become truly great at something. 

7) Learn by doing

You can’t really be capable of anything until you actually do it.

So you have to try in real life, again and again.

Anders says, “Willingness to fail is at the heart.”

Find the right balance with the process of failing: you need to hate failing, but knowing it will happen constantly, also find some kind of joy to it. 

Oh, remember: there is one downside to mastery.

You can’t master it all.