Practice till it doesn't feel like practice...

 

 

Why is this? 

 

Well, there are many different reasons but they all come down to Mindset. Or, as we prefer to call it, the Little Monster in our Heads who has many different tricks and tools at his disposal. 

 

Telling us that tomorrow will be a better day. It’s going to be hard / time consuming / take too long / be complicated / fill in the blank. That we’ve failed in making changes before, so why bother? Or we’re going to look stupid / people will laugh at us / fill in the blank. And many more besides. You probably know your own Little Monster’s favourites, so can add them to the list. 

 

As usual, none of them are true. There are no dragons lurking round the corner waiting to catch the unwary. And we’d suggest you read those last couple of sentences a few times and really let them sink in… 

 

Doing anything new only feels strange – and as though it requires more effort – because we’re having to consciously think about it, rather than doing it unconsciously – or automatically – on autopilot. But, there is good news. Each time we do it, it gets a little easier. We gradually hone our skills until, as if by magic, it becomes automatic. Our default setting. 

 

The only way we can ever fail is by stopping midway through. It’s simply about practising until it doesn’t feel like practice. Repetition really is a master skill. 

 

So, what’s the answer? 

 

Well, it’s all about changing our approach. Rather than focussing on it being new and an effort, why not just say you’re practising doing it? 

 

Instantly, you’ve taken all the pressure off yourself. It’s become a “work in progress” rather than something you have to do perfectly from day one. Which, being realistic, is rather unlikely. Then, if – or when (!) – it goes a little pear shaped, you’re more likely to pick yourself up and keep going. Which, ironically, is exactly what you’ve done every time you’ve mastered something new. 

 

Gradually it became easier to do and then, one day, it just happens without any conscious thought. Bingo! 

 

It’s a bit like those music lessons you had at school. Most of the time you hated doing scales and all the other exercises you were forced to do. But, as you mastered them, you moved on to pieces with a recognisable tune. Even better, occasionally it was one you liked (!). 

 

Each time you practised it became a little easier. Slightly more tuneful (!). And then, one day, you could play it without music. At the drop of a hat. With confidence. 

 

You then moved up a step and the whole process started all over again, as you moved on to something else. But, in the process, your confidence, skills and repertoire grew. 

 

Well, that’s exactly what happens when you start doing something new as an adult. 

 

It all starts with deciding to do something new. Accepting that you’ll mostly get it wrong in the beginning. And that’s fine. Being willing to keep practising until it becomes easier and, finally, automatic. Your default setting. 

 

Yes, repetition is a master skill. 

 

We were reminded about this process recently by a lovely story we heard about Thomas Edison. When asked how it felt to “fail” 1,000 times before inventing the lightbulb he said: 

 

“I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The lightbulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” 

 

Or put another way, he practised 1,000 times before he got it right. 

 

One of the main reasons we get frustrated and give up too soon is we forget that everything in life is a process. A journey of many steps, not just one. The thing that trips us up – literally (!) – is that we don’t know exactly how many when we start out. 

 

So, if you’re at Step 50 and it feels like nothing’s happening – or changing – and you don’t know how much further you have to go, it’s all too easy to give up. That’s when practising until it doesn’t feel like practice comes into its own. 

 

It really can be that easy if you let it be. 

 

As always, the choice is yours.