There's a commonly held belief that it takes 10,000 hours of practice or experience to really get good at something.
It's a false fact that's been debunked countless times, but the basic idea - that time, commitment, and effort will help you improve your skills - is a solid one.
Except that takes SO LOOOOOOOOONG. Can't we get a montage or something?
Reddit user Iron-Wall asked:
"If you could wake up tomorrow and be automatically granted 10,000 hours of experience in any skill of your choice, which would it be?"
Reddit had a lot to say on this one. Turns out, there's a lot people who want to learn but finding an hour here and there, much less ten thousand of them, is almost impossible.
Surprise!
Kristen Wiig Snl GIF by Saturday Night Live
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"Piano. I want to be the kind of person to sit at a public piano and surprise people."
- FreedTMG
"I remember back to my days of in-school detention, there was another kid who was in there quite frequently who would sneak out and go play the piano in the other room. He was extremely talented."
"I think I overheard that he didn't know exactly how to read sheet music, but he'd memorized the songs he played. It was all classical music from the greats."
"Looking at him you would have never guessed, he looked like he should have been in detention."
"The teachers eventually knew where he would be if he was missing from his table and they would let it slide. They finally made him a deal to get all his assignments done and he could go play the piano."
"It was easier than trying to keep him in his seat."
- thedriftlessdrifter
The Split
"Speaking foreign languages."
- vyletteriot
"I would split it evenly between Mandarin and Spanish."
"Being semi-proficient in both of those languages as well as being proficient in English would mean that I would be capable of talking to almost everybody on the planet."
- AmNotSatan
"Split it 60:40 or even 70:30 in favor of Mandarin if you want to his similar proficiency in each - assuming you don't already speak Cantonese or something."
- ViolaNguyen
"According to Google, it takes about 2200 hours to learn Mandarin vs 600 to learn Spanish, so definitely favor the Mandarin here."
- Kaylagoodie
Walk In The Woods
Camping Season 4 GIF by The Office
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"Foraging."
"I want to walk into any woods and immediately know exactly what plant I'm looking at, it's uses, medicinal purposes, everything."
- CrazedMuffinz
"I was just talking about this the other day! Great answer!!"
- urmama22
"Currently staying at a hotel and got a lil sunburn by the pool."
"I found an aloe plant by the vending machines, broke off a leaf, split it in half, and rubbed on my burns for some sweet relief."
"Felt like a part of nature."
- Thinkwronger12
Handy
"Handyman skills."
"I need to rebuild my rotting deck and replace some plumbing that is guaranteed to fail structurally. Plus I could do some light work on the weekends for some extra cash."
- BronzeAgeTea
"This is also one of the best ways to save money!"
"Being able to do everything from fix a dryer drum to replacing brake fluid will instantly save thousands of dollars per year."
"And these are skills which are not overly taxing on your time or energy once you know how to do it. They are just frustratingly hard when you first start learning, and often, due to mistakes, more expensive when you are learning."
- Qubeye
Sharpening This Skill
New Amsterdam Surgery GIF by NBC
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"My actual job. Surgery. Because you can never have enough experience."
"The second I feel like I’ve gotten enough experience will be the second I lose my humility. I can always get better at this and I won’t ever stop trying to sharpen this skill."
- hiyer2
Heard
"Origami: and every time someone came to me with their problems I would start by saying something seemingly profound like: 'ya know, life is a lot like origami...' "
"and they I would fold the ever-loving sh*t out of a piece of paper while basically repeating the person's problem back to them."
"They would then walk away feeling heard and one finely hand folded frog richer."
- somewhatclevr
Ulterior Motive Mechanic
Dog I Have No Idea What Im Doing GIF
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"Automotive Mechanics."
"For my area they're a dying breed, plus that's what I've always wanted to do."
"And there may be a cute guy that needs a few things done on his car. 😅 Free repairs AND he gets a free dinner if he lets me take him out? How could he resist?"
- purplesheepy
Cut Off From The Culture
"Speaking Korean."
"I was an infant during a time when it was pretty common for the relevant professionals in some regions to tell ESL parents not to speak their mother tongue to their kids at home ("it'll lead to an accent" "they'll have problems integrating" "other kids will make fun of them"), etc."
"So I grew up monolingual and then had no one around me to practice with or help me once I was old enough to be interested in learning."
"As a result, I was effectively cut off from my family and my mother's culture."
- enbymaybeWIGA
"I feel the same regarding the Korean."
"I had no interest when I was younger to learn, but now that I’m older and have in laws who are Korean and aging parents, I made it my goal to start learning at home through YouTube and free pdf workbooks."
"Not too late to start!"
- applefuzz
It's Hard To Suck
Guitar Rockstar GIF by Wallows
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"Guitar."
"Just started playing and committing at least 30 min a day. It’s so hard to suck at something, but I want my kids to see me stick to something and develop a skill, that things just don’t happen overnight for people."
"And it’s super therapeutic."
- Blueskyz8
Ideas Die Swiftly
"Carpentry for sure. Not even close."
"Owning a home fills me with all sorts of cool ideas. Decks, additions, shelves, tables, the list goes on and on."
"Then I say 'I’ll just do it myself!' and become completely overwhelmed. Then I get quotes from contractors and the ideas swiftly die."
"Doing it yourself is literally half the price. You just need the know-how and some tools."
- Rotanikleb
"I feel this in my soul."
"I could do it myself, but with what time, what tools, what money?"
"Oh, it costs how much for someone else to do it? I guess it's not getting done."
- dcux
"I've been a carpenter for 4 years and I would also choose carpentry lol. You can never stop learning new stuff."
- ImAPlebe
1 calendar year is 8,760 hours. So ten thousand hours is more than a year of time spent focused and concentrated on doing just one thing - not eating, sleeping, bathroom breaks, nada.
... Yeah, we'll take the montage or sleep learning.
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Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...
The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
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"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
Unimpressed Uh Huh GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine
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"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
Hungry Debra Messing GIF by Will & Grace
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"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
Getting Ready Episode 2 GIF by The Office
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"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
