IMPLEMENTATION and DISCIPLINE

Implementation is “the process of putting a decision or plan into effect”.

The word “execution” is often used as a synonym.

• Correct implementation requires DESIRE, nurturing MOTIVATION, supported by DISCIPLINE, capable of acquiring KNOWLEDGE and consistent in REPEATING in deliberate PRACTICE receiving timeless FEEDBACK without getting COMFORTABLE.

Implementing acquired knowledge, and putting it into practice and action, is the mark of the expert.

The following consideration comes from long experience in motorcycling training and on a good clip “The 4 things it takes to be an expert” by xQc.

Essentially implementation or execution is based on three elements:

1. Knowledge of the theory for correct action and adherence to a system of operation.
2. Database of situations comparable to the one we are facing. Ex: approaching petrol station on the right side: (knowledge)steering to avoid Hazards — (pattern) I know that sometimes vehicles pull out from petrol stations without looking at incoming traffic — (implementation) scan on right, reduce speed, move the bike on the centre of the lane.
3. Discipline: discipline refers to rule-following behaviour, to regulate, order, and control specifically the self. Discipline is used to create habits, routines, and automatic mechanisms to keep motivation high at all times. Self-discipline refers to the practice of self-restraint, controlling one’s emotions, and ignoring distracting impulses. It is the tool that sustains the will (desire) to acquire and expand knowledge.

Without a disciplined desire, implementation turns into routine, it loses contact with new and old sources of knowledge, and it does not learn from practice.

Without a disciplined desire for permanent learning, implementation becomes sterile and useless.

What the OMM training plan implements is the ROADCRAFT system and the bike/traffic control learned by studying the three books:

• Institute of Advance Motoring “How to become a better rider”
• UK Police Foundation “Roadcraft Motorcycle manual”
• Jon Taylor “Total Control”

OMM training has always been useful in “opening the theory”: nevertheless the acquisition of knowledge is based on hours of individual studying (not reading) of books supported by visual examples, easily traceable on the internet, and by attentive comparison of what the theory says with the actual behaviour on the bike.

We call this “desk observation “: the work of taking notes on the points where theory (the books) and actual knowledge/ behaviour(the way we ride) differ.

The attentive study, memorization, and “desk observation” are the most profitable ways to gain knowledge from textbooks.

Unfortunately, most of the time attentive study is negatively affected by lack of time, lack of energy, and limited attention/concentration. Other times the study is limited by the lack of interest/desire expressed in an “I know already all this” attitude.

To take full advantage of the time dedicated to the acquisition of theory it is important to isolate quiet time for studying, away from sources of distraction, with a fresh, relaxed mind and body, in an environment that facilitates thinking.

Quiet time and an open mind are essential for increasing the knowledge of any subject: an open mind indicates not only the capacity of taking in new content but also the attitude to abandon wrong and previously acquired elements of knowledge.

De-learning is a crucial step to learning.

Database of comparable situations, memory stored of similar events, and recognition of a similar pattern are defined as “chunking”. In cognitive psychology, chunking is a process by which individual pieces of information set are bound together into a meaningful whole.

Chunking helps to improve the short-term retention of the subjects studied, thus bypassing the limited capacity of working memory and allowing the working memory to be more efficient.

Despite the esoteric definition, chunking is a skill that goes back to prehistoric times and the acquisition of knowledge by hunter-gatherers.

It is a process of memorization, organisation, and storing of elements derived from the experience.

As such it is a process that requires awareness while acting, time spent in the action, time spent in the repetition of the action, and time spent in the evaluation of the handling of the action.

With this organised memorization process, we create a database of “situations” that we can recognize and we develop the capacity to predict or anticipate the whole event generating an inner intuition, a way to access knowledge by instinct, without the need for conscious reasoning.

This is the TOOL that “expert/competent” in motorcycling (or in any other field) develops over time, allowing them to recognize the development of an event/action/situation from some initial signs. Intuitive knowledge needs to be controlled, as does instinctive reaction, to avoid leading to the wrong conclusion and the wrong response.

• Shaolin monks have been devoted to research, development and practical perfection of Shaolin Kung-Fu, and one leader of the monks, visiting Europe and interviewed by a French journalist, was asked whether in a “bar fighting” a monk will win over a strong boxer or a brutal attacker. The answer was that the monk would have developed a strong “intuition” and a “recognition of the situation” such that he would have left the bar before the fight started.

This is the RECOGNITION of a situation based on TRAINED INTUIT.

Expertise is about recognition and recognition leads directly to intuition.

It is said that to develop this INTUITION or TRAINED INTUIT one has to practise and practise for the now famous 10.000 hours. But practice to become an expert must be guided by the self and by external sources.

10,000 hours of practice by itself are not sufficient.

Four additional criteria must be met. And in areas where these criteria aren’t met, it’s impossible to become an expert.

1. The first one is many repeated attempts (repetitions of the same action) with feedback.
2. The next requirement is a valid environment. One that contains regularities (same elements) that make it at least somewhat predictable. (Ex: repeating the same set of corners with the same bike at the same speed, or emergency braking on the same surface, at the same speed on the same bike).
3. Then you need timely feedback to learn. Timely feedback means feedback immediately following the action as self-evaluation, evaluation from a friend, or observation of recording.
4. Finally, to become an expert, you must practise for hours in the uncomfortable zone, attempting to do the things you can’t do yet. Try riding in challenging situations like new bikes, new terrain, higher speeds, or in difficult weather. This is called deliberate practice.

Thousands of hours of practising in the uncomfortable zone sound hard and long: we all want to be comfortable, and we all want to become experts instantly.

And for many tasks in life, we can become competent in a fairly short period. Learning the theory of riding is a quite simple affair: after all, on the bike, one can only modify direction and speed: still, learning at the beginning it’s pretty challenging. It takes up the whole brain’s methodical system. After 50 hours or so it becomes automatic. The instinctive portion of the brain takes over, and one can do it without much conscious thought.

After that, more time spent riding doesn’t necessarily improve performance.

To keep improving, we must practise at the edge of our ability, pushing beyond our comfort zone. We have to use concentration and methodically repeatedly attempt at things we aren’t good at. In many areas professionals don’t engage in deliberate practice and suspend the learning process: their performance doesn’t improve, and sometimes it declines.

New knowledge coming from the new situation or new studies and further reading is not taken in.

The best predictor of skill level is not the number of hours spent on the saddle, but the number of hours dedicated to serious solitary study.

Spending thousands of hours studying the theory, examining the personal performance, and watching other competent riders do it.

Chess players spend thousands of hours alone learning chess theory, studying their games and those of others. It can be challenging to force yourself to practise deliberately. And this is why coaches, teachers, and expert friends are so valuable. They can recognize your weaknesses and assign tasks to address them. At its core, correct implementation is recognition. And recognition comes from the amount of highly structured information stored in long-term memory. Building that memory requires four things: a valid environment, many repetitions, timely feedback, and thousands of hours of deliberate practice. Most of all IMPLEMENTATION requires DISCIPLINE.