Outliers? 10,000 Hour Rule Inspires Man to Quit His Job to Become Pro Golfer
- Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:11pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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Via Business Insider comes the story of Dan McLaughlin:
According to the St. Petersburg Times, Dan McLaughlin quit his job on his 30th birthday and decided to become a professional golf player.
He had never even picked up a golf club in his life.
In the book “Outliers,” author Malcolm Gladwell put forth the theory that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become “great” at something. McLaughlin will play golf six hours a day for six days a week for the next six years in order to become good enough to play for a living.
Day one of The Dan Plan from Dan McLaughlin on Vimeo.
McLaughlin is living The Dan Plan. What is The Dan Plan, you ask? McLaughlin explains, over at his website:
Welcome to The Dan Plan!
From newbie to professional golfer in 10,000 hours.
We passed 1,400 hours on April 15, and we’re still cruising along….
It’s a project in transformation. An experiment in potential and possibilities. Through 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice,” Dan, who currently has minimal golf experience, plans on becoming a professional golfer. But the plan isn’t really about golf: through this process, Dan hopes to prove to himself and others that it’s never too late to start a new pursuit in life.
…
Dan is an average man by most standards. He’s a 30-year-old commercial photographer with no previous experience as a competitive athlete, nor is he in particularly good physical condition. Dan is slightly under average height and weight, has never played a full 18 holes of golf, and has only been to a driving range a handful of times. He’s not even sure if he’s a left-or right-handed golfer. Dan currently resides in Portland, Oregon.
August update from Dan McLaughlin on Vimeo.
The St. Petersburg Times reports:
On his 30th birthday, June 27, 2009, Dan had decided to quit his job to become a professional golfer.
He had almost no experience and even less interest in the sport.
What he really wanted to do was test the 10,000-hour theory he read about in the Malcolm Gladwell bestseller Outliers. That, Gladwell wrote, is the amount of time it takes to get really good at anything — “the magic number of greatness.”
The idea appealed to Dan. His 9-to-5 job as a commercial photographer had become unfulfilling. He didn’t want just to pay his bills. He wanted to make a change.
The Dan Plan from Dan McLaughlin on Vimeo.
Dan will record his experiences at his blog.
Here’s to Dan–and to his 10,000 hours of hard work.
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Comments (86)
carolinaconservative
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:10pmLet me know when o’bama reaches 10,000 hours in his job as president. with all his vacations, golf outings, trips to the theatre, basketball, I figure he is on track to reach 10,000 hours in the year 2047. We are getting the shaft (pardon the pun) with this part time President! But then again if with the damage he has inflicted being part time could you imagine what kind of a mess we would be in with him on the job full time?
Report Post »NC
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:09pmIn another 5.5 years, we might have some Blaze Posters reach the 10,000 hour rule and start to make sense.
NC (will never reach the 10,000 hour mark on Blaze, thus will never make any sense)
Report Post »hightide
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:09pmI say go for it. That is the American dream. If you want something, you go out and give up everything you have to make it work. You do not wait for a hand out.
Report Post »GCX
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:47pmKind of discounting god given ability, isn’t he?
Coaching and time are only part of the equation.
Report Post »wakemeupwhenitsover
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:10pmkinda dumb. golf is freekin difficult. ive been playing golf since i was like 10 and i cant get below a 6 handi.
good luck dufus. you coulda picked something easy like bowling….
Report Post »peteto1
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:47pmAnother liberal IDIOT. It actually takes GOD-GIVEN TALENT as a basic starting point, and if you put in the hours and don’t get injured you MIGHT become an expert. In addition to the previously mentioned items, to be a professional golfer, you NEED to have nerves of STEEL (ideal psychological makeup) to win/make money on the golf tour(s)!! What a buffoon. He actually believes the liberal tripe about “everyone is equal”……..
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:46pmDan currently resides in Portland, Oregon
explains everything……….well almost how did this mouth breather make it this long ?
Report Post »pork eating crusader
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:43pmby living at his moms
Report Post »AnAppealToGod
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:45pmyour website looks like crap
Report Post »CarolinaGirl
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:41pmI read the book “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell and it is a fantastic read. I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone who will pick up a book! And I think this guy has every right to test the theory.
Report Post »north 49
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:40pmgo dan go—–awesome
Report Post »martyw
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:38pmYEA and i wanna go be the president …. IM JUST AS QUALIFIED as the lil man child we have now
Report Post »martyw
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:31pmHEY i hear that unemployment program pays pretty good ….. free insurance … and MRS NANCY said ppl will be able to go and pursue there dreams….
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:09amYou can’t really rely on that unemployment stuff Martyw. They up and stops it after a few years..
Report Post »9111315
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:30pmWe should all be Golf Pros. They should, like, pass a law.
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:13pmAnd there shouldn’t be any scoring, because it makes some of us feel inadequate. Anyone who picks up clubs should be a winner!
/Akshully the handicap system kinda does that, huh?
Report Post »Locksmith
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:30pmIf he follows Obama’s golf schedule he should reach his goal by September.
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:11pmHeh heh heh!
Report Post »CFHeather
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:28pmI wish Obama would do this too
Report Post »DavidFactual
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:27pmSo…Who will pay his bills these six years? Mommy?!?
Report Post »And…what great Change does he want to make? Another pro-golfer is not much of a change.
MyCommonSense
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:27pmI like it! ‘Cept for that little issue of supporting yourself… But if he can figure that out maybe he’ll put it in his book for all of us to know!
Report Post »Rapunzel
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:23pmSo he‘s going to do something he’s not interested in and doesn‘t even like very much for 10000 hours to prove someone else’s point? Doesn’t sound very smart to me. He should at least pick something he’s always wanted to do!
Report Post »Dale
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:15pmThis story reminds me of a story I heard about my industry. Twin golfers had a rich uncle die and leave them one million dollars each. Following the funeral, the first twin asked, “what are you going to do with your inheritance?“ ”I think I will travel, see the world, so those things I never thought I would ever do, what about you?” The first twin thought for a moment, then replied, “I think I’ll just continue playing golf ’til its gone.”
Report Post »amerbur
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:23pmGo for it Dan. Perhaps my son can join you. He will graduate from Portland State in June. I think they only taught him how not to work so yours sounds like a great plan. Perhaps he can join you. You guys in Oregon, you really know how to live.
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:05amKnock it off!! Not all of us in Oregon are this……. yes we are this weird.. Portland is weirdville + 1/2… It‘s everything you’ve heard and that much more.. This guy is abnormally normal here..
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:21pmSingle & living with his parents??
Report Post »E=mcsquared
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:21pmGeez, get a fricking job why don’t you. He must have rich parents.
Report Post »PER100
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:21pmi believe the goal is to follow a dream, work hard. not pick the dollar and chase it. if you dont love what your doing, its still work and still a burden. best of luck and prayers be with anybody willing to chase a dream.
Report Post »TheRealLoki
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:21pmGood for him!
Report Post »Mr. Nice Guy
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:20pmAnyone else wondering how he’s going to pay his bills for the next six years?
Report Post »pappy
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:49pmMaybe WE’RE going to pay his bills for the next six years.
I hope he says thanks…..
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:19pmBut he‘s too old to be on his parent’s insurance?…… and how is he paying for it? You know, silly little questions like that that are suddenly creeping into my head.
Report Post »sing it out
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:16pmWow. He’s crazy.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:19pmNow this guy needs to be taxed more! FOUR…I mean SIX!
Report Post »ilovethiscountry
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:22pmHow is he supporting himself?
Report Post »AnAppealToGod
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:46pmIt could also prove the theory that it takes 10,000 hours to figure out you suck at something.
Report Post »Rearden Steel
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:58pmMaybe he’s got a wife who can afford to pay the bills. Maybe he inheritied a bunch of money. No matter how he’s paying the bills, I’m interested in seeing how good of a golfer he can become in 10,000 hours.
Good luck Dan.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:03pmsing it out
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 6:16pm
“Wow. He’s crazy.” At thirty, its a good thing he didn’t decide to take up football or even basketball.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:11pmI wonder if he applied for a GOVERNMENT GRANT to cover his experiment? Stimulus money?
Report Post »Rearden Steel
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 7:37pmFor those who didn’t check out his site, he’s paying for it himself.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:10pmThis will last about 2 months, then his wife will beat him to death with his 1 Iron, no one can hit a 1 Iron anyway.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:15pmWhen Obama gets away with Golfing away our funds away, I suppose anyone can.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:39pmGood luck, but how are you going to pay for the tee times and all the golf balls your gonna lose? Should have kept your day job. I guess after his 10,000 hours and finding he didn’t get it he will be on the 10,000 days of welfare.
Report Post »redbone007
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:01pmNancy told everyone to follower their dream and let the tax payer pay for it.
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:38pm10,000 hours, wow. I hope he does not learn golf the way I did… that would be alot of beer.
Report Post »ds7
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:38pmi’ve put in 10k plus hours…and i got my handicap to a 2 at my best…but i’m a long way from a pro.
Report Post »MontanaRob
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 11:24pmYeah, crazy like a…………oh, something really crazy. I GOT IT, a liberal!
You know, he may be on to something there. I’m 56, I think if I work twice that hard, I could be a rock star by 60! Hey, if Keith Richards can still do it I think a cadaver could. Ooops, that was redundant.
Report Post »GayDem4Beck
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 7:07amLet me guess… he can quit his job because the federal government is going to take care of him and his medical care, which will allow him to play golf. Remember Nancy’s quote, you can quit your job and become an artist or musician and not worry about your health care. The problem is that you and I will end up paying for this crap. Eventually they will run out of everyone else’s money
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:10amLive you dream Sir.
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