My Outlook: Split seconds years in the making

Were you watching? Did you see it? If you blinked, you likely didn't. Cole Perfetti's game tying goal with only 1.6 seconds left in game 7 of the Jets and Blues series in this year's first round of the NHL playoffs was a stunner—and a heartbreaker for the Blues when the Jets went on to score in overtime and advance to the next round.

Not to be outdone, in another series, with less than half a second to go, a deflection ended game three between the Golden Knights and the Oilers in mouth-dropping fashion. I was just planning my intermission snack and getting ready to settle into overtime when all of a sudden the game was over.

 A documentary entitled "1.6 Seconds" tells the story of British diver Tom Daley and is so named because of the length of time that passes between leaving the diving platform and entering the pool. Those divers have put in years of training to achieve what they do in that brief flash of time. So too, those hockey players, whose game winning heroics were recorded in mere fractions, but came only after putting in the time to hone those shots.

 After playing the piano at an event a woman came up to me and asked, “How long did it take you to learn to do that?” Unsure how to respond, I said I started taking lessons when I was a young child and have been playing ever since. Unless someone is a savant and exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance, most musicians develop slowly over time—getting a little bit better day by day as they put in the effort to improve.

Sadly though, despite the fact that many people know how to play, there are an awful lot of pianos sitting idle. Just 13% of adults who can play, actually do. Even though they put in the time at one point in their life to learn, now they rarely use that skill. The same can be said of other instruments. How many clarinets or trumpets are sitting in the back of closets? How many saxophones or guitars are tucked away somewhere in the basement? What’s so sad about that is the fact that not only are we missing out on the musicianship of so many, those musicians themselves are missing out…missing out on something that goes beyond music.

Each time we learn something new our brain forms new connections. Existing neural pathways are made stronger. Think about that. Each time we try something new it benefits the functioning of our brains. Imagine the way those neural pathways could light up if we buckled down and learned a new song.

My husband and I toured an American music museum and while many of the exhibits were of the ‘no touch’ variety, there was one room filled with historically significant pianos and harpsichords that visitors were encouraged to sit down and play. It was a bit intimidating at first, but I got to play a Steinway concert grand, as well as a Bechstein Grand. The latter was an 1878 instrument nicknamed "The Velvet Touch" that once belonged to an Austrian music patron. Throughout its history, musicians like Anton Rubinstein, Franz Liszt, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms and Bela Bartok graced the keys. Yes, I got to touch the same keys as those giants of music. I was incredibly grateful my parents made sure I kept taking piano lessons so I could sit down and be part of that remarkable instrument’s history. If I hadn’t put in the time on the keys, I would have missed out on a goosebump moment.

It is often said it takes 10 years to become an ‘overnight sensation’ because while it may seem an actor, singer or group's fame simply explodes quickly, it likely comes only after a decade or more of hard work. But the public doesn’t see that. They see the excitement surrounding the new star but not the time devoted to developing their talent and honing their craft, allowing them to be perceived as an overnight success.

If you watched the Indianapolis 500 this year you know that a rookie won the pole position. It’s the first time in 42 years that such a feat was accomplished by a rookie driver. He was described as someone who ‘burst on the scene’. True enough. Since he is new to the circuit few knew his name until qualifying day. But Robert Schwartzman has been racing for 13 years in other types of cars. He put in the time and was ready when given the opportunity to qualify as an Indy driver.

There are no shortcuts to game winning goals, hoisting trophies, publishing books, job promotions, strong relationships or any other measure of achievement we might set for ourselves. Unless someone is willing to put in the time it is unlikely any of those successes could happen. Hour upon hour upon hour, year over year over year is the preparation required for those memorable moments.

The equation that may not sound like much fun, but it’s effective. Time plus hard work equals being ready for the opportunity. That’s my outlook.