The other night, I had dinner with a good friend who has spent 45 years honing his craft. He’s a true master in his field, with a track record of success that speaks volumes. As we talked, he shared with me some of the keys to his success, and one insight stood out: he trusts his instincts above all else. It was a reminder of the power of intuition that comes from decades of dedicated practice and mastery.

The 10,000-Hour Rule: Mastery Takes Time

There’s a well-known statistic that it takes 10,000 hours of focused effort to truly master a skill—a concept popularized by Robert Greene in his book Mastery. That’s roughly 10 years of dedication to your craft. My friend, with his 45 years of experience, has far surpassed this benchmark. When I asked him what has contributed most to his success, he told me that he listens to his instincts, even when they seem to go against reason. He’s made decisions, visited places, and employed techniques that might have seemed counterintuitive at the time, but they’ve led to remarkable outcomes.

The Power of Experience: Instincts Shaped by Mastery

When you analyze the flow of events and the results, it becomes clear that these aren’t random acts. They’re the product of years of accumulated experience—a subconscious mastery that guides him through even the most challenging situations. His instincts are finely tuned by decades of practice, allowing him to see opportunities and make decisions that others might miss.

After our conversation, I began paying closer attention to where my own instincts lead me in negotiation. I realized that instincts aren’t something you can rely on without preparation. They’re built on a foundation of mastery—hours upon hours of practice, learning, and refining your skills.