The most important factor in gaining a new skill

I’ve read lots of books devoted to skill acquisition.  There’s some useful info, backed by impressive data revealing habits, practices, and routines of world-class performers.

One of the most important commonalities is that most world-class performers had a coach/teacher who made the activity fun early on.

Interest precedes talent development, and even if Malcom Gladwell’s 10,000 hours theory is correct, most of us won’t devote the second hour to something that doesn’t seem fun.

Exposing children (or adults for that matter) to someone who can make an activity interesting or fun may be the most important first step.  That goes for tennis, violin, or coding.