Deliberate intentional practice is a powerful way to improve skills at a faster pace.
In the arenas of elite performers and athletes, a concept called “intentional” or “deliberate” practice has been closely studied. While practice is a powerful tool for these individuals, practice that is deliberate and intentional increases the power of practice exponentially and desired results occur more and more rapidly. It’s all about getting what you want with greater speed and maximum efficiency.
Remember, do not confuse the concept of deliberate intentional practice with the old adage “practice makes perfect.” Perfection is not the point here. The point is that practice makes better, and deliberate intentional practice makes us better faster. Even Michael Jordan made mistakes in his amazing basketball career. Those mistakes never prevented him from practicing again and again. And in the end, because he practiced with deliberate intention, his mistakes actually made him better — not perfect, but better faster.
The concept of deliberate intentional practice has been around for some time, so let’s take a look at what has been discovered about it.
Geoffrey Colvin, author of Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else and a Senior Editor at Large for Fortune Magazine, writes about the extensive research that helped to disprove the theory that elite performers and athletes were simply the result of those born with innate talent.
For example, someone like Tiger Woods wasn’t genetically born a great golfer. He had to work to become a masterful golfer. Just like the rest of us who have to practice to be good at something, he too has to practice to be good at his game. Since many of us have practiced a skill at some time or another, is there a difference between the way we practice and the way Tiger Woods practices? The research of K. Anders Ericsson, Ralf Th. Krampe, and Clemens Tesch- Romer, who published “The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance” suggests that there is a difference. They write, “…..individuals begin in their childhood a regimen of effortful activities (deliberate practice) designed to optimize improvement.” In order to become a masterful golfer, Tiger learned to practice with deliberate intention as a toddler. Similarly, Mozart was a three-year-old when he began playing the piano. So just what is practice with deliberate intention? According to Colvin’s theory, it is hours of focused repetitive daily practice on a specific goal, paying close attention to what works and what doesn’t, and correcting what doesn’t work.
Practice thinking positive thoughts about yourself with deliberate intention. Focus on your specific goal of feeling good about you without depending upon anyone or anything outside of you to make you happy.
