I can't remember the name of this book, but it's a popular one that came out a couple of years ago. Maybe Blink or Tipping Point or that type if you know what I mean. Anyway, it talked about the study of greatness or "brilliance" in some people, whether musicians, athletes, or even computer programmers like Bill Gates. The simple conclusion was that none had a real short cut but excelled after achieving about 10,000 hours of diligent practice. Sure some people have a little more physical or other natural skill that can help them some, but there's no escaping the time commitment.

I'm probably somewhere less than 1000 hours now after about 18 months, averaging probably a bit over an hour a day. I feel I've come a long way, but am still just "crawling" in many respects. The above perspective helps me keep from getting frustrated when I feel like I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like at times. I also like the thought that I've still got a long way to go because I love learning it.