“Practice makes a man perfect” is a term we have heard multiple times throughout our lives. No matter your profession, the major secret ingredient of success is practising your craft and continuous learning. It is what separates ordinary from extraordinary. It implies doing one thing over and over until you master it. Here’s an example to better explain the concept.
If you aspire to become a cricketer, you get into the pitch with the essential kit. You play as you please. But that won’t make you better. You need to understand the difference between fun and practice. Deliberate practice is mastering every single element of batting, from observing the release of the ball from the bowler’s hand to watching the ball’s line and then timing the shot correctly with an accurate position of your bat. These need to be gauged in a fraction of a second. You can’t become a great batsman unless you master all the steps properly. It will take hours and years of practice to become a pro!
Now that the concept of deliberate practice is clear, let’s talk about how to do it effectively.
Create a structure: In order to improve in a specific area, you need to do your own SWOT analysis. You need to understand your areas of improvements and then create a step-wise plan to overcome them. Any activity, no matter how simple it is, has various steps involved. You need to start from step 1 and progress your way further. Take as much time as you require to sharpen your skills.
Repeat: Now that you have designed a plan to improve, all you need to do is follow it with dedication and repeat it on a daily basis. It is crucial to follow the set guidelines. Several studies have shown that in a matter of weeks without practice, people start losing their edge. No matter how good you are at something, it would help if you kept repeating it to maintain your position as a master.
Mental preparation: Doing things for fun does not require a lot of effort. Things that are done for fun usually become boring over a period of time. If you choose your passion and wish to grow on it, you will need deliberate practice. But it must be kept in mind that there is no other way to achieve greatness. If you want to be a pro, you need to invest both time and effort. Hence, it is necessary to make up your mind.
It’s not a complicated process to become great, it just requires passion, dedication, time and deliberate practice.
-By Vrutika Dawda, Director, IdeateLabs