06 Nov Practice with Deliberation. Click to keep reading…
We have all heard the old adage “Practice makes perfect.” Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 book, Outliers: The Story of Success, touted 10,000 as the ‘magic number’ of hours someone needs to devote to their craft to become an expert. A pioneer in the study and science of peak performance, Dr. K. Anders Ericsson, suggests that becoming an expert is not just about clocking the hours, it’s more about how the hours are spent. Mastery is related to deliberate practice. A focused, consistent, goal-oriented training that favors quality over quantity. For most, after a certain level of mastery, the repetition of a skill becomes reflexive, rather than an attempt to excel. To take a skill to another level, you must practice one hour, each day in a highly-concentrated matter, suggests Michael Simmons. Structured, strategic, thoughtful and engaged learning sessions will move you forward. Use these tips to get to the pinnacle of a skill:
- Establish, small, clearly-defined small goals that also push your limits and move you towards meaningful change
- Even though deliberate practice can be a drag, be consistent. Commit to an hour a day, and don’t let distractions get in your way.
- Track and measure your progress to help pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. Ask for feedback from existing experts and peers to get an honest perspective on your success towards your goal.
- Reset. After your deliberate practice, take time to recharge by doing nothing at all. Recovery is key after a tough mental workout.
Leverage your natural talent by utilizing deliberate practice to achieve excellence in a given craft.
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