Random musings: Practice makes...

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Practice makes...

We've all heard the saying

But does it really? Perhaps it's more accurate to say

Perfect practice may make perfect, but imperfect practice makes imperfect...either way it's made permanent. The key is to practice smartly.

So, how do you practice smartly? I think the first step is to practice mindfully...that is, know what you want to accomplish in your practice and then practice with that goal in mind. Also, practice slowly enough that you can make sure that your practice is doing what you want. If you make a mistake, stop at that point and correct what you're doing before you go on.

Also, be consistent in your practicing. Practice at the same time and the same place every day.

In the book "Outliers", Malcolm Gladwell talks about something called the "10,000-Hour Rule" which states that it takes 10,000 hours of "deliberate practice" to achieve an elite level in most endeavors. How do you get to 10,000 hours? One way is by practicing deliberately 3 hours a day, 7 days a week, 50 weeks a year for a total of 1,050 hours a year. In 10 years, you would accumulate 10,500 hours.

Is there anything in your life that you'd want to achieve an elite level? Art? Music? A business? If so, start practicing deliberately and before you know it you'll be there.