Make more opportunities to practice

I originally wrote this in December, in the lead-up to Christmas last year. But being on the verge of another family holiday weekend (as I write this new version), it seemed appropriate to revisit.

It came to me as I put the potatoes in the oven to roast.

A few years back, an opening presented itself in the broader family holiday spectrum, and I took it: hosting Christmas dinner.

Growing up, my dad's turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing, brussels sprouts, parsnips, carrots, peas, and gravy defined Christmas dinner. (Alongside Christmas crackers, paper crowns, and silly jokes - read in the original English, French, and sometimes German or Italian!)

It was the event I looked most forward to in the entire calendar year.

And now, I have a chance to bring my version to the world and to the people I love most.

Lucky for my immediate family, I've come to see the month before the big day as my training ground. I have to get in my reps!!

Because I want to feel confident when it's showtime.

I have to try all the different potatoes. I have to try all the different stuffing recipes. I have to experiment with different ways to make sprouts less loathsome.

And you know what?

Since I love doing it (and we love eating it), this isn't a hardship.

So I'm saying this: If you love what you do, make as many opportunities to practice as you can. You'll get better faster, making your offer orders of magnitude better than if you only do it when you "have" to.

Potatoes ahead,

James