the power of deliberate practice 🎯
"success has to do with deliberate practice. practice must be focused, determined, and in an environment where there’s feedback." - malcolm gladwell
topic
✦ deliberate practice ✦
inspired by anders ericsson, the art of deliberate practice is a mindset that most people may not consciously incorporate into their daily or weekly routines.
we’re often occupied by our busy jobs and activities, which means we go into auto-pilot and no longer actively work on our skills to make meaningful improvement.
instead, we have an aspirational goal of acquiring a new skill or starting a new side-hustle, and we tend to our time sporadically to achieve this. there is no set routine or calendar, and there is no set strategy for what we’re tackling with the free time we have to work on our goals.
that’s where the art of deliberate practice comes in. an approach that does what it says on the tin and is simple to implement, yet most people do not incorporate this.
without deliberate practice, you will not grow at the rate you want or hit your milestones. you need to be focused, disciplined, and intentional with the time you’re using to ensure you’re making progress and moving in the right direction.
in previous editions of this newsletter, we have discussed techniques such as time-blocking and setting clear goals, both of which are key for deliberate practice. but let’s discuss some other tips.
tips
✦ how incorporate deliberate practice ✦
embrace discomfort
you need to be prepared to be uncomfortable and step outside of your comfort zone.
acquiring a new skill or starting a new business will not be achieved without embracing discomfort.
it’s a feeling all successful people have to conquer.
take your time
a simple but effective piece of advice, and one that many ambitious people tend to avoid, is taking your time.
you cannot achieve everything in day one, and nor do you have to. take your time and really learn your craft - that’s the point of deliberate practice.
the only race is against yourself, as long as you’re making progress.
seek feedback
if you have a mentor, ask them for feedback on your progress. this loop of constructive advice will only progress you faster towards your goals.
it’s also important to take the time and analyse your own work.
question
✦ how consistently have you engaged in deliberate practice to improve your skills over the past year? ✦
take a moment and think about if you have and what is preventing you.
thoughts from others
"i fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but i fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." - bruce lee
"you are rewarded in public for what you have intensely practiced & refined in private." - tony robbins
