According to the chapter, what is the significance of the number 10,000?

Gladwell has established how the "10,000-hour rule" works, he goes on to apply this rule to additional cases, namely the Beatles and Bill Gates. Throughout his discussion, Gladwell is interested in the practical applications of this seemingly arbitrary and abstract rule. He uses multiple examples to argue for the validity of the "10,000-hour rule," but also points out an important nuance: random social and historical opportunities, after all, will determine whether an individual has the chance to put in the proverbial 10,000 hours.