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If you’re working on a new skill or mental strategy, here’s a proven technique to get better, faster.
You may have heard the statement, “If you want to do it well, first do it badly.” Meaning: everyone starts as a beginner, and we must struggle through lacking performance to attain competence, improvement, and, one day, mastery.
Great sentiment! Though, it needs modification. If you want to do it well, first do it slowly.” Practice proper thoughts and techniques at dramatically reduced speeds, as if in slow motion. Don’t speed up until you achieve fluidity, and then, by small increments, maintaining control.
Multiple research studies show that slow, accurate practice encodes proper technique, promoting rapid myelination of helpful neural pathways, while preventing the wiring of bad habits or inefficiencies.
Personally, I’ve used this technique to learn to type, play instruments, solve problems, in golf and yoga, and as a juggler and acrobat for literally hundreds of skills or skill combinations.
First steps are not about speed, or even proper timing. They’re about grooving the habits of thought and movement that produce consistent success. We learn those with inquisitive focus through well paced practice.
Doing it wrong quickly leads to doing it wrong repeatedly. And, because we’re natural learners, you’ll find workarounds for poor technique. You’ll figure out a way to make it work, mostly. But once you groove bad habits, they will be there, holding you back, until you do the double work of dismantling them to start again, slowly.
So spend concentrated time early to learn proper technique, slowly, and you’ll progress faster and further. As a bonus, slow motion excellence will eventually allow your mind to think ahead and observe small details, even at speed. Until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.
The audio for this week’s coaching video is located under the “Get Inspired” tab in the Positive Playlist . You can subscribe to the podcast and listen to other weekly messages for improving all aspects of your life.
