"Neurologist Daniel Levitin has studied the formula for success extensively and shares this finding: "The emerging picture from such studies is that 10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert in anything. In study after study of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals and what have you, the number comes up again and again. Of course, this doesn't address why some people get more out of their practice sessions than others do. But no one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery." ~Harvey Mackay, author of "Swim With The Sharks"
286 weeks X 35 hours per week = 10,010 hours
In other words, at 35 hours of Real Estate work per week it will take 5 1/2 years to reach the milestone of 10,000 hours of practice needed to become a master. I suppose if one wanted to be picky, one could say that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master-listing agent and another 10,000 hours to become an expert buyer's agent.
In any event, it would behoove a new agent to remember these statistics. The industry drop-out rate hovers somewhere near the 90% mark after only one year of practice. According to Dr. Levitin an agent who gives up after only one year or 1,820 hours of work (practice) never really had a shot at being successful. Perhaps if those agents only knew to plan for a longer learning curve, they could persevere and remain in the game. Maybe a new agent's business plan should map out those first 10,000 hours.
Set yourself up for success, rather than failure.
So, here are some words of encouragement for all of you new(er) agents out there:
"Patience is a virtue."
"Only the strong survive."
"Never give up."
"Hang in there."
Aw, heck.....just remember this, "Everything will be ok."
"You can do it."
Sometimes these simple sentiments are just what the good doctor ordered, don't you think?
Now go get 'em! 
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