Practice with Purpose
If you’ve ever played sports, you’ve probably had a coach tell you to “get comfortable being uncomfortable” or that you need to “stretch yourself” a time or two. While this may be frustrating to hear, according to the science, they are right.
When we deliberately push ourselves outside of our comfort zone, we are able to form new neural pathways that allow us to be more effective at a given task.
By reaching for new talents and skills, our neurological circuits become enhanced and wired more efficiently. This is why it so important to set goals that stretch your current limits. Setting big goals that are just out of your reach forces you to continually practice with the focus and attention necessary to master new skills.
In Daniel Coyle’s book The Talent Code, he explains how deep, purposeful practice creates myelin, which allows certain movements or skills to become more ingrained.
“The talent code is built on a revolutionary scientific discovery involving a neural insulator called myelin, which some neurologists now consider to be the holy grail of acquiring skill. Here’s why. Every human skill, whether it’s playing baseball or playing Bach, is created by chains of nerve fibers carrying a tiny electrical impulse — basically, a signal traveling through a circuit. Myelin’s vital role is to wrap those nerve fibers the same way that rubber insulation wraps a copper wire, making the signal stronger and faster by preventing the electrical impulses from leaking out. When we fire our circuits the right way — when we practice swinging that bat or playing that note — our myelin responds by wrapping layers of insulation around the neural circuit, each new layer adding a bit more skill and speed. The thicker the myelin gets, the better it insulates, and the faster and more accurate our movements and thoughts become.”
Let’s look at the difference between exercising at your local gym versus training to win a state championship with your teammates. When exercising independently, you will more than likely pick your favorite lifts that allow you to look and feel better without making yourself too uncomfortable. However, when training for your sport, your coaches will focus on reducing the risk of injuries, increasing your strength, promoting explosiveness and improving your conditioning levels.
The latter requires more intent planning and execution. With a set focus in mind, you will perform certain movements and lifts that you may have otherwise omitted. If you train without purpose and have no objectives, you are spinning your wheels.
Back to the The Talent Code,
“On one level, the study of myelin sounds like an exotic new neuroscience. But on another level, myelin is similar to another evolution-built mechanism you use every day: muscles. If you use your muscles a certain way — by trying hard to lift things you can barely lift — those muscles will respond by getting stronger. If you fire your skill circuits the right way — by trying hard to do things you can barely do, in deep practice — then your skill circuits will respond by getting faster and more fluent.”
When you practice, are you going through the motions or do you have an intent to improve lacking skill sets? When you read, study or work on a class assignment, do you sit down on a mission or just aimlessly wander?
Everyone has heard the old cliché that “practice makes perfect”, but it is actually not quite that simple. “Purposeful practice makes perfect” is a better take on this old adage. Intentionally practicing something until you have mastered it allows you to have lasting results. Be purposeful.
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