Practice Better
Principle #5: Practice better
Practice makes progress
One of the few things we can control in our industry
Is the ability to get better
And the better we get
The more of ourselves we can give to the stage or camera
Some important factors…
First: Intention
Why am I going to this practice session?
Is it to work on a particular skill set?
Is it to practice under pressure?
Is it to get a support from a colleague or coach?
Is it to practice giving yourself approval?
Is it to make new colleagues?
Is it to simply feel like you are a part of the industry?
Etc, etc
All wonderful intentions
My point is
Simply be clear about why you are spending your time, energy and dollar on the session
The more you are aware of why you are going to the session
The more choice you have in what you get out of it
Second: Time & Place
Allocate a clear time and environment
Spend 6 hours fluffing around in a de-energising distracted environment?
Or spend 45 minutes in a focused, engaged room?
Third: EA
External accountability
Who am I training with?
Who am I asking for help, education and guidance?
Do I feel energised or de-energised after the session?
I have found some commonalities between the people I love asking for EA…
They have growth mindsets - they replace good, bad, right, wrong thinking with curiosity
They focus on the process - rather than the result
They play the long game - building a sustainable process > short term results
They encourage me to do me - “you do you boo boo”
They don’t steal my lesson - they let me figure out the lesson on my own (maybe with the occasional nudge here and there)
They trust themselves enough to be silent and allow for space
Fourth: Distractions
Phone calls, emails, technology, interruptions, people, singing parrots, etc, etc
Remove them for the allocated time slot
And get shit done
Exercise: My Practice Process
Requirements: Paper & pencil, some focussed private time, maybe some music, tea/water etc etc
Step 1: Set the timer for 5 minutes - Identify your most important problem (MIP) - What are the most important skills to work on which would give you the biggest step forward in your craft/career?
Step 2: Set the timer for 5 minutes - Identify the most energising practice experiences you have had.
Step 3: Set the timer for 5 minutes - Notice the commonalities between those sessions. What did you do which made them energising?
Step 4: Set the timer for 2 minutes - Identify how you would like your dream practice session to feel at the end.
Step 5: Set the timer for 3 minutes - My Practice Process: Write down a practice process for you to experiment with. Try keep it between 3-7 clear, doable points. Then repeat the 3 minute process. And finally, repeat the 3 minute process again. See how it morphs and grows with each iteration. Build something which you feel energised about.
Throughout the steps, notice the shoulds and bring them back to the wants (are you doing it that way because you want to, or because you feel like you should do it that way?)
And finally, remember to ask yourself
What would it look like if it was easy?
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