The "seven to ten year" rule
Another creativity principle I stole from comedians.
No. 121: The “seven to ten year” rule
In the comedy world, there’s a general rule for when comedians can expect to see success as a headliner.
Seven to ten years of open mics, they say, is what it takes.
Of everything I’ve learned from comedians—finding your voice, marketing yourself, committing to the bit, being willing to fail—the seven to ten year rule might be the best of all. It blatantly acknowledges that good things take time, practice makes perfect, and nothing comes easily (or instantly).
There are of course exceptions. Ali Macofsky, a.k.a. Ali Mac, a popular comedian and my college friend, saw success much faster than that. To me at least, it seemed like one day she was testing bits on campus, and the next she was on the stage of the Comedy Store kicking ass. (Props to you, Ali).
But exceptions are just that, exceptions. The seven to ten year rule is still a solid one, if you’re asking me. Having never grown out of the kind of impulsivity you’d expect from a child hooked on Monster energy drinks, when I want something, I want it immediately i.e. if want to write stories, give me a damn book deal.
No.
It’s a process, and a beautiful one. Actually I’ve come to think that identifying pursuits so difficult and intensive they take years—not months or weeks—to master is one of the most exhilarating things about being alive. Maybe that’s because of contrast alone: most things today have been Amazon Primeified. But I don’t think so. It’s something bigger, like standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon and deciding you want to fill it with blue paint.
And doesn’t the seven to ten year rule seem appropriate—modest even? Couldn’t the rule be easily extended to ten to twelve years? I’m not an insect with a three-day lifespan. I’m a person looking for real challenges and real achievements, and those will necessarily be multi-year endeavors. If I’ve got, in the best case, a hundred years to live, the seven to ten year rule sounds excellent to me.
In the same way, the rule puts all that I’ve done, all that I’m doing, and all that I want to do into nice perspective. Writing, exercise, and eating well have been underway for a while now. I simply need to keep doing them. Music, just started and don’t plan on stopping. And for new skills that I want to develop? The rule reminds me that there’s no better time than the present to get started. Cut to yesterday when I signed up for an 8-week improv course at the iO Theatre in Chicago. It starts tomorrow.
The best part about all this, though, is that of growth isn’t linear, but exponential assuming we keep our foot on the gas pedal. I’m no mathematician (but if you give me seven to ten years . . .) but the short of exponential growth is: As we continue to practice something, the amount we improve increases as the time it takes to improve that amount decreases.
Allow me attempt an illustrative example.
If one year it takes an hour to plant a tree, the next year you can plant two trees in that same hour. The year after that, you can plant four trees in one hour. So far, this is the same as linear growth. The year after that, however, you can plant eight trees in an hour (instead of the linear six). The year after that, 16 trees in an hour (instead of the linear nine). After many years pass, the amount of trees you can plant in an hour is staggering. But of course, all of this relies on our ability to be consistent.
For me at least, that’s the seven to ten year rule’s greatest power. It keeps me going at times when I’m feeling doubtful, or when I’m being lazy, or when I’m questioning the point of it all. It helps me go easier on myself while simultaneously motivating me to do all that I want to do without delay, because the sooner I start, the sooner I’ll reach seven to ten years.
Writing-wise, I’m midway through the seven to ten year rule. I studied writing for two years during college, took a hiatus, and started this newsletter nearly two years ago.
That said, thanks, as always, for attending another one of my open mics. In good time, maybe you’ll be hearing from me as a headliner, too. ♦
Weekly Three
HEAR: “Jealous Guy” (Live)"by Donny Hathaway (YouTube)
READ: Walking South LA, a photo essay by
(Substack)VIEW: Peter Attia explains exponential growth with a kids’ toy (and does a much better job than I did). (Instagram)
YES. The processss. Really enjoyed your voiceover too. Nice soft tone and clarity- it flowed well with your writing. Break a leg with the improv group : )
This was soooo validating, thank you so much!!!