Practice Makes Perfect

Every single thing we’ve ever learned to do, say or even recognize, we had no idea how to do it, until we did. So, how did we figure it out? We’d try and we’d fail. Then, we’d try again and again and again. Until one day, we learned to do it. Wow! When you think about it, those small little successes are truly amazing and they’d never happen without our constant practice and determination.

I don’t know about you, but my parents consistently told me, “Practice Makes Perfect.” As a child, they might have been talking about my spelling words, Cub Scout projects or math problems. Later in life, it applied to music, sports, job skills and more.

I remember my dad saying the same phrase about life. “Gregg, it might not make sense now, but each day – You are practicing for the rest of your life.” He was right. However, it didn’t make sense at the time.

Consider it this way, doctors “practice” medicine. Lawyers “practice” law, our favorite sports teams and stars “practice” before the game, our favorite performers “practice” their lines and roles before the curtain goes up.

The definition of practice is performing a task over and over for the purpose of achieving a goal and/or getting better. Isn’t that exactly how we want our life to unfold? In life, don’t we want to accomplish our goals and achieve a better life? The only problem is when we get older, we somehow forget we need to practice and feel like things should immediately happen. We stop asking questions and being curious. We forget it’s ok to “fail” at a task because by doing so, we’ve gained valuable “practice” time.

Each day we have on this earth, each hour, minute, each instant we live – is practice. Treat it as such! Instead of expecting success on everything we’re doing or involved in, our only goal should be to be better than we were a few moments before. Our mistakes, missteps and unachieved goals shouldn’t be treated as failures. They should be realized as practice.

Practice Makes Perfect.

As my dad who was a coach (and the best dad ever) told me SO many times, “You can’t expect to succeed if you’re not willing to put the effort in when you practice!”

Every single thing we’ve ever learned to do, say or even recognize, we had no idea how to do it, until we did! Your “practice” in life has brought you this far and your future depends on how you “practice” today!

Go get ‘em!

Peace…

Gregg