Good Practice

REPITITION

Practice makes perfect so the saying goes. So it figures, that in order to get good at something, we need to repeat the process over and over until we know it off by heart. Intuitively. Practice needs focus to make perfection and this is where the repetition over time will get us desired results. 

In Pursuit Of Perfection

Japanese sushi master Jiro Ono - knew about the quest for perfection in making the best sushi. This film shows how even washing rice can take many years to get right. Another of James clear 's blogs also teaches us about self mastery and how focussed attention is what is required.

Boredom

The difference between a good athlete and a gold medal winning one is down to focussed practice plus an iron resolve to continue those hours of repetition - pushing through when most of us have become bored with the task in hand. I thought about this with my last swim - 60 lengths at pace is not easy to do day after day and unlike, say, running through the park, the repetition of ploughing up and down the same lane of the pool, with just the tiles at the bottom to look at, can be boring. However, it's in this time that I became really switched on. True focus can be found in the pool. Free from distractions, each stroke, each kick and each breath becomes a focus for repeated practice. Checking the reach, pull and exit of every stroke - assessing the body position in the water and timing the kicks became so laser-focussed that I barely noticed counting the laps. The swim, at only 30 minutes long, was completed without being bored at all - in fact, I look forward to the next session already.