Does practice make perfect?

Now here’s a question to start a healthy debate. As a statement, it’s something some of us may remember hearing growing up as we struggled to balance on that scooter or splashed frantically to stop ourselves from sinking to the bottom of the pool. Indeed, many would argue that yes, practice does make perfect.

In his book, “Outliers: The Story of Success”, Malcolm Gladwell repeatedly refers to the "10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to achieving world class expertise in any skill, is, to a large extent, a matter of practising the correct way, for a total of around 10,000 hours. And there is a raft of research that tends to agree, with experts claiming it is clear that training improves performance and changes the brain (although at the same time continuing to debate the number of hours and the type of practice that may be optimal for success).

For me, the question is not so much about the practice itself and more about what it is you are practising which is significant. People can often expend energy trying to overcome weakness in an attempt to do something they are inherently never going to be good at. I like to sing, however am I ever going to become a classically trained opera singer? Unlikely.

As individuals we are unique and all possess some form of talent and natural ability, whatever that may be. It’s what we might refer to as our ‘potential’. Our time is precious these days and so I believe in putting it to best use and practising the things we’re good at. So, for example, while some of my friends at school excelled in maths, working with numbers was definitely not one of my strong suits and in recognising this – not ignoring it – I manage it (i.e. with my trusty calculator), and instead focus my energy on my areas of strength.

Understanding our strengths and focusing on tasks where we can make a positive difference is what makes us successful. Positive psychologists (those that study the science of happiness) would argue that if we focus on using more of our strengths it will help us get the best from ourselves and make us happier.

What if you don’t know what your strengths are? Well, think about how you react in certain situations. E.g. are you considered, shying away from making decisions fast, or are you successful in reacting quickly on a gut feeling? Ask for feedback. Select a number of personal and professional contacts, who know you well, and ask them to describe a time when you were at your best. This exercise will also help to build self-esteem and give you confidence. Make a plan for how you’ll use your strengths and then practise putting them into action.

Do you practise the things you’re good at? Are you aware of what your strengths are? Please share your comments below.

Posted on Thu, July 16, 2015 in Coaching General Personal Development
Leave a Comment below.