Everybody aspires to be really good at something.
It could be a sport, an art, playing a musical instrument or any other activity like reading, painting or drawing.
When we see someone who displays an extraordinary talent in any of these fields, it not only leaves us awestruck but inspires us.
So how do you become good at something? How do you improve your performance in a chosen activity?
The cliche “practice, practice and practice” isn’t the entirely correct answer. Simple practice isn’t enough to rapidly gain skills. Mere repetition of an activity won’t lead to improved performance.
It’s not the quantity but the quality of practice.
Recent studies in the field of human performance have revealed that talent is an outcome of deliberate practice which is a highly structured
activity engaged in with the specific goal of improving performance. It requires continuous evaluation, feedback and thinking. It’s not fun and requires lot of mental and physical effort.
While you are involved in deliberate practice, you are at the boundary of your limits and knowledge, stretching out for a goal which is just a little out of reach.
Why would you want to go through so much pain and discomfort of deliberate practice? The short answer is – to poke. Becoming awesomely good at something is a brilliant way to poke the box of life.
Here is the long answer.
One of the key ingredients of long term happiness is the feeling of being able to do well at your chosen activity.
When you are getting better in something every day, it boosts your ego and releases a feel good hormone called serotonin in your body. This hormone is popularly thought to be a contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness.
Even if you don’t want to be world class performer there are at least few things where you want to be above average. For example, to become a astute entrepreneur, you might want to develop the skills of “Reading and Thinking”.
Charlie Munger says – “We make actual decisions very rapidly, but that’s because we’ve spent so much time preparing ourselves by quietly sitting and reading and thinking.”
Of course practicing too much can also become counterproductive.
After you’ve finished your period of practice, it’s time for some self-care.
Don’t strain yourself mentally too much.
Do something that doesn’t require a lot of mental focus. Reward yourself. Go for a walk or take a nap.
Doing an activity just for fun isn’t going to reward you with long term happiness unless there is an element of deliberate practice involved in it.