Practice Does Not Make Perfect

By: Exclusivia Team

Practice does not make perfect, practice makes PERMANENT. “In a crisis, we all revert back to our dominants habits.”

Neuroscientist Dr. Robert Cooper always that neurons that fire together, wire together. Practice and repetition build our hard-wired habits. Whenever we are in situations of stress, anxiety, or high pressure our subconscious will take over and our dominant habits will emerge.

This highlights the importance of ensuring that whatever daily habits we are practicing, need to be the right ones. If not, when those difficult times emerge, we will be powerless against our own bad habits. Effectively sabotaging something of importance to us.

Behavior and skills are not something that we can turn on and off as humans, particularly when challenges emerge. They require intentional observation and adjustments that are perfectly practiced daily.

Just because we are “working hard” and putting in time to practice does not mean that we are reinforcing the right habits. A good example is an athlete such as a tennis player. The player can hit shots all day, every day but if they are sloppy and practice with poor technique, this will not make them the best player they can be. During difficult and high-stress matches, they will revert to those bad habits that they’ve developed during their training.

Imperfect practice can result in a lot of “activity without achievement.” Feeling busy, without accomplishing anything meaningful or purposeful. In basketball practices, Coach Tom Desotell used to tell his players, “Do you want to base your game on hope or on habit?” This lesson is applicable to everyone as we live our lives. “Do you want to base building your best life on hope or on habit?”

Practice Does Not Make Perfect. Practice Makes Permanent. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.

*This article was written by the Exclusivia team, using the insights and teachings of Coach Thomas Desotell.