The concept of Deliberate Practice
The concept of “deliberate practice” has been around for some time, but has only recently become popular as a way to reach peak performance.
Deliberate practice is a special type of practice that enables you to learn, improve, and master any skill faster and more efficiently. It is a proven and effective way to reach your full potential in any field, from sports and music to business and academics.
So, let’s take a look at what deliberate practice is and how it can help you to improve your life.
History of Deliberate Practice
Deliberate practice has its roots in ancient religious and spiritual texts, most notably Buddhism and Hinduism. The Buddhist text, the Dhammapada, states that “practice is the path to perfection” and “practice leads to supreme knowledge”.
The Bhagavad Gita, one of the most revered Hindu texts, states clearly that “practice is the root of all progress” and “practice is the secret of success”.
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् |
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते || 35||
asanśhayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ chalam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa cha gṛihyate
O mighty-armed Arjun, the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.
Srimad Bhagwad Gita
In both of these texts, the emphasis is on the need for regular practice and discipline in order to achieve success.
In modern scientific history, deliberate practice was first explored by Anders Ericsson, a Swedish psychology professor. He researched how individuals acquire expertise in a range of fields. During his research, he found that the best performers are those who engage in deliberate practice, which is a form of training that focuses on improving specific areas of performance. This idea has since been accepted as one of the key drivers of success.
What is Deliberate Practice?
Simply put, deliberate practice is the deliberate and systematic effort to get better at a specific skill. It is more than just ‘practice makes perfect’; it is an intentional strategy designed to make progress. It involves setting specific goals and objectives, and then working towards them with focus and dedication.
Deliberate practice is a special type of practice that focuses on improving specific areas of performance. It involves setting yourself specific and achievable goals, focusing on the most difficult tasks, and consistently pushing yourself to achieve those goals. It also involves seeking feedback from mentors and coaches, and using this feedback to adjust your practice and make it as effective as possible.
It is often referred to as “deliberate” practice because it requires careful planning and conscious effort.
How is Deliberate Practice different from regular Practice?
Regular practice is simply repetition of a task, without any specific goal or plan. Deliberate practice, on the other hand, is focused on improving performance by targeting specific goals or skills.
Deliberate practice, on the other hand, is focused and structured. It involves setting specific goals, pushing yourself to reach those goals, and seeking feedback to make sure you are improving. It also requires careful planning and conscious effort to ensure that each practice session is as effective as possible.
Benefits of Deliberate Practice
Improved Skills
Deliberate practice involves focusing on specific skills and tasks with the goal of improving them. By dedicating time and effort to improving those skills, you can develop more proficient skills and become a master at any task.
Improved Performance
With deliberate practice, you can become more efficient and adept at any given task. This can help you to perform better in any situation, and it can also help you to reach your goals faster.
Increased Confidence
When you focus your efforts on a task and practice it repeatedly, you will gain more confidence and a greater sense of self-efficacy. This can help you to take on bigger challenges in the future.
Improved Focus
Deliberate practice requires you to be focused and to stay on task. This can help you to stay on track with your goals and to be more productive in general.
Increased Motivation
Practicing a task repeatedly can help to increase your motivation. Because you are investing time and effort into improving a skill, you are more likely to stay dedicated and to see it through to completion.
When I learnt Touch Typing at 50-60 wpm through deliberate practice
During college I started practising typing for 3 hours daily to master it so that I could type my technical report myself. I started it after being frustrated with the typist who was making multiple errors because of his lack of knowledge of technology. However, when I saw myself touch typing at 50-60 wpm, it became a truly rewarding experience.
I have had first hand experience of seeing the benefit of practice in associated jobs that required the practiced skill. Touch typing helped me not only in my corporate career, but also in reducing my procrastination for writing when I want to. One very tangible benefit was time saving during my GMAT test in the writing section.
But I cannot even calculate how many hours I must have saved due to this little skill that I practiced well.
Also Read : 5 Productivity Methods that you must know in 2023
Deliberate Practice Examples
Deliberate Practice can be applied to any area you want to improve. Some examples of its application are:
Sports
Deliberate practice is a key component of becoming a successful athlete. Professional athletes spend countless hours perfecting their skills, working on technique, and analyzing their performance. For example, a tennis player may practice different types of serves, a soccer player may practice different types of shots, and a basketball player may practice various dribbling drills.
Music and Arts
Deliberate practice is essential for becoming a great musician. Musicians must practice scales, chords, and arpeggios to develop their technique. They must also practice sight-reading and ear training to improve their ability to interpret written music. Similarly, artists must practice drawing and painting to hone their skills. They must also practice composition and color theory to create works of art that are visually appealing.
Learning Language or any other Subject
Deliberate practice is an important factor in becoming proficient in a foreign language. Language learners must practice speaking, reading, writing, and listening to the language to become fluent. They must also learn the grammar and vocabulary of the language.
Deliberate Practice can be applied literally to mastering any other subject or skill in a similar fashion.
Meditation
Meditation is one field where the utmost emphasis is on practice. So much so, that the learners of the field are often called ‘sadhakas’ which translates to ‘practice aimed to achieve perfection’. Practitioners have to daily practise sitting still and fixating their minds to one thought or ‘mantra’.
Deliberate Practice is like training and Challenging your mind
It is important to understand that through practice, we essentially train our minds more than anything else. For example, I know that when I type, the speed depends on how quickly I process the word sequence in my mind, and not on how quickly I move my fingers. The fingers just follow the mind. I think most people who type without looking at the keyboard would agree with me.
So what do you think about this ?
Have you ever experienced the magic of practice ?
Let me know in the comments.
