[By: Martin Grunburg]
What will I practice today?
That’s it.
That’s the question.
Most of us never give the idea of PRACTICE too much thought. Certainly most of us don’t give it enough thought. Unfortunately, we aren’t practicing anything.
Another day gone and another 86,400 seconds lost.
What are you practicing today?
God knows it took me the better part of 45-plus years to better understand the importance of practicing, and I’m still studying the value and influence.
WHAT IS PRACTICE?
Let’s start with the basics:
Here’s the dictionary definition:
1. The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use.
“The principles and practice of teaching.” Synonyms: application, exercise, use, operation, implementation, execution.
2. Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
“It must have taken a lot of practice to become so fluent.”
Here’s the etymology:
c. 1400, “to do, act;” early 15c., “to follow or employ; to carry on a profession,” especially medicine, from Old French pratiser, practiser “to practice,” alteration of practiquer, from Medieval Latin practicare “to do, perform,” from Late Latin practicus “practical,” from Greek praktikos “practical”
early 15c., practise, “practical application,” originally especially of medicine but also alchemy, education, etc.; from Old French pratiser,
PRACTICE IS INPUT
Here are some elements to consider:
- Practice is input and performance/results are output.
- It is learning, as real learning is experiential — an active pursuit demanding knowledge be put into practice.
- Learning without practice is just theory. See the dictionary definition above: “the actual application of an idea, belief or method “as opposed to theories about application or use.”
THE FAMILY TREE OF PERFORMANCE
Practice is the Great-Grandfather of Performance
Practice, it could be said, is the father of discipline, while discipline is the father of habit and skill.
One’s habits and skills (within any discipline) produce the output of performance and results.
The disciplined boxer becomes disciplined via practicing.
Similarly, the highly skilled boxer becomes so via the habits of discipline, sacrifice and hard work.
We ALL seem to get this when it comes to the professional boxer, swimmer, dancer, gymnast — the performers we admire.
But, for even the most seasoned professionals, the most time they actually spend performing might be five percent of their life.
Five percent!
The swimmer who wakes up at 5am knows exactly what she will be working on — what she is practicing that day.
The boxer can say the same.
What about you?
LIFE IS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT
So . . . start practicing!
Consider the phrase often used in reference to a doctor or professor: “Where is your practice?”
The other phrase we use in determining a specialty within the practice for a doctor might be, “What is your specific discipline?”
Through practice comes discipline.
Here are a few things YOU might consider practicing today.
- Silence
- Listening
- Meditation
- Breathing
- Stretching
- Reading
- Writing
- Editing
- Guitar
- Kindness
- Compassion
- Love
- Piano
- Chess
- Gratitude
- Sales Calls
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Honesty
and then tomorrow and the following day.
So, what are you practicing today?
Have you set any intention to BEcome better — to improve in any particular discipline?
Great.
Now, it’s time to start practicing!
Until next week,
~mg
Next week we’ll focus on what practice is comprised of, that is, what you must bring to make your practice higher quality!