Zen and the Art of Learning

A an eager young man went to a martial arts teacher and asked how long it would take him to become proficient in the system. He explained enthusiastically that he was already devoted to the discipline and was ready. “How long would it take?” he asked. The teacher replied: “Ten years.”

The student was impatient  and not satisfied with the answer. “But I want to learn it faster than that, I’ll will work hard, I’ll practice all day every day if necessary. How long would it take me then?”

“Twenty years”, replied the teacher.