Elite athletes spend less early time in deliberate practice than lower-level peers
David Epstein · Author David Epstein: You can’t innovate without this | Masters of Scale · May 15, 2026 · at 24:16
Author David Epstein explains how he challenged Malcolm Gladwell's '10,000 hours rule' using developmental athletic studies.
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“The data that actually track, yes, elite athletes spend more time in deliberate practice than lower level athletes, but the studies that track them over the course of their development show that early on they spent less time In deliberate practice in that activity than peers who plateau at lower levels. They have what scientists call a sampling period. Broad variety of activities where you learn general skills, now called physical literacy. You learn about your own interests and abilities, and delay specializing until later than peers who plateau at lower levels.”
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