4 Steps to Getting Better at Anything
You probably believe that the world’s most talented sports stars, rock stars and scientists were born with “that certain something”, but success might have very little to do with natural gifts or even luck, says writer Malcom Gladwell. He says that it’s a dedication to your chosen craft — along with roughly 10,000 hours of practice — that makes up more of the story than pure genes.
And Daniel Coyle, author of The Little Book of Talent Improving: 52 tips for improving your skills introduces his book like so:
“We are often taught that talent begins with genetic gifts…This is false. Talent begins with brief, powerful encounters that spark motivation by linking your identity to a high-performing person or group….A tiny, world-shifting thought lighting up your unconscious mind.”
Meaning, someone had to suggest to you, or show you, that “you could be like them.” And then a genuine interest engaged you and pushed you to practice powerfully at the top of your abilities day in, and day out, and soon, you become proficient. Good, in fact. Even if you don’t ever reach “expert” status, according to Coyle there are many proven methods for getting better at any skill. Here are four of them:
1. Get Fast Feedback
To improve faster, it’s best to get immediate feedback on how well you’re doing — whether it’s from peers, a review of video of your performance, or by checking your scores. When studying for an exam for example, it’s better to take the practice test in chunks and flip back for your results right away. With immediate feedback you’ll make stronger, deeper connections to the “right” answers or behavior. Waiting even a day creates a mental distance, and a lack of engagement. And it turns out that “engagement” is an important part of the equation.
2. Make it Engaging
You need to care deeply about the outcome of each practice, or you’ll never push yourself to improve. Running through your presentation 10 times in a row is a bit tedious–and might even stop being useful at some point. Coyle suggests trying to perfect it in just three run-throughs instead, turning the exercise into a game of sorts–one with stakes. Or, try positive reinforcement at the end of each practice session, making the reward something you truly desire. You’ll try harder, have an emotional attachment to the results, and therefore improve more rapidly.
3. “Reach” For Your Goals
Similarly: you don’t want to log long practice hours just by “phoning it in.” Practice does make perfect, but only if you’re reaching for your absolute best each time, and then repeating what worked. Ever notice that teachers, rather than calling on one person and asking a question, pose the question to the entire group and then randomly select someone to answer? This is no accident — this is a called a “Reach and Return” method, requiring everyone in the room to be be paying attention, “reaching” for the answer even if they don’t know it. The same goes for practicing on your own: make sure you’re challenged each time you’re training — practice that’s designed to be too easy will sabotage your results.
4. Make it Powerful
Now that you care, and are trying hard each time — make sure your practices are as realistic as possible, preparing for the unexpected. If your soccer games are bound to see a little weather this season, don’t cancel practice just because it’s raining. Rehearsing a speech before you go on stage certainly helps, but the only way to perform well under the pressure is to actually practice talking to people in an audience (start by speaking in front of small groups until you get more comfortable). No amount of solo practice will prepare you for the nerves you’ll feel when all eyes are on you.
Don’t have 10,000 hours to spare? Even just a little practice can improve test-taking, job interviews, even a break-up — and so for whatever you strive to get better at — learning how to “learn” is a skill that never fails to serve.
Photo Courtesy of: bestandworstever.blogspot.com
