Practice –
That brings to mind memories of scales on the piano and drills on the volleyball court. We all know that practice is necessary in order to improve, but it just sounds so BORING!
I rebelled against piano scales in high school for that very reason. I wanted to play songs, not just exercise my fingers.
On the other hand, I practiced my singing all the time. I didn’t think I did, because I didn’t sing scales outside of choir warm-ups. But my mother had taught me to find any little areas on piano or voice that weren’t right and go over just those sections, rather than the whole song, until I could perform that portion smoothly. So even when I rejected boring drills, I continued that habit.
I learned and sang songs, recorded myself, listened for spots to improve and worked on them, got advice from choir directors, and went over the songs until I could hear them in my sleep.
So it turns out, that is called “deliberate practice.”
Deliberate practice is intentionally looking for the area that needs the most improvement, doing whatever it takes to improve it, and then repeating until excellence is achieved. It may involve a lot of trial and error and it may involve consultation with experts, but the key is that it is intentional, rather than just mindless drills.
While the technique has existed as long as people have, the term was coined by a psychologist, K.A, Ericsson in 1993. Ericsson was exploring the question of how to develop expertise, and he demonstrated in his research that regular practice simply builds habit, but deliberate practice causes improvement. Given enough time, deliberate practice leads to expertise.
And that kind of practice isn’t boring at all.
It is challenging, but because it is deliberate problem solving, it doesn’t feel like busywork. It involves focused thought, research, and a lot of hard work. It can result in a rush of euphoria when each trouble spot is resolved.
People don’t quit deliberate practice from boredom.
They quit because it is really hard work. They quit because they value today’s comfort more than tomorrow’s expertise.
Perhaps that is why deliberate practice is so rare.
In my experience, people rarely work to improve their skills as adults. Life gets in the way, passions devolve into hobbies and hobbies get stuffed in the garage.
Certainly, it is not possible to develop expertise in every single thing we try to do. In fact, we need to narrow our focus so that we can take the time to deliberately practice what matters the most to us.
But sometimes, honestly, we go through the motions of life without attempting to improve even in those areas that matter most. We go to work and just put in our time. We practice our hobby when it suites us, doing exactly the same thing we have done for years.
Well, regular practice is how we stay the same, but deliberate practice is how we improve. It is the difference between having one year of experience fifteen times over and having fifteen years of experience.
Those who put deliberate practice into their careers will advance, whether up in position or out into a more satisfactory role. But those who don’t will stay in the same position their whole careers, even if they move companies.
Those who deliberately work to improve their chosen hobby will develop expertise and will be respected by those who see their work. They might be able to monetize it or simply take pride in producing high-quality results.
But those who do simply “do” the work instead of deliberately practicing will have improved little to none at all even after twenty years. The hobby might bring them joy, but they will not develop expertise. This is why my piano skill stagnated at the level I had fifteen years ago; it is a hobby and I play often, but I do not deliberately work to improve my skills in it.
Deliberate practice is the difference between dabbling and mastery.
And this is not simply for measurable skills like music or baking, sports or careers.
Deliberate practice is how we improve our character.
Self-improvement is about taking an honest look at ourselves, seeing the areas that need improvement, and actively pursuing ways to make those improvements.
Just reading self-help books won’t make a difference. Attending yet another conference isn’t helpful. Listening to a sermon every week is useless.
Don’t misunderstand me – those things are useful and important, but only when accompanied by intentional application.
You can develop a habit of learning all the newest self-improvement theories and communication techniques, and you can build regular seminars and church services into your routine.
But without deliberate practice, you will see minimal improvement.
The people who grow are those who intentionally reflect on their lives and think through how problem behaviors need to change. And then they build plans for responding better in the future.
This is why personal journaling is a great tool for so many. It is a way to reflect on recent choices and evaluate how they should be different in the future. I don’t journal daily, but I do spend time alone to reflect on my day.
This deliberate reflection also shouldn’t be a once-a-day thing. Experts in artistic fields or sports spend several hours every day working to improve their craft. Why should personal character growth be treated as less important?
Instead, it needs to be an all-the-time-thing.
Develop the habit of mindfulness throughout the day, paying attention to your reactions to stress and those times when your selfishness wins. Also, be aware of those moments when your choices were positive.
As a mom, sometimes my reaction to misbehavior from my children is counterproductive, elevating their emotions and resulting in angry children. But other times, my reaction is exactly what they need to calm down and hear correction.
Because I love my daughters, I take note of when my choice is right and I try to emulate it the next time a similar situation occurs. Like all self-improvement, it is an iterative process, but over time I have become a better mom than I was when my first daughter was born.
It’s the same way in all other areas of life. There is only one way to improve – intentionality.
To become an expert at character improvement, build deliberate practice into your routine. First, learn from the experts through books, educational material, seminars, and worship services.
And then make time for honest reflection while maintaining regular mindfulness of your behavior.
Then next year you will be able to reflect back on today and see how far you have come.