Practice Makes Permanent
There is an old adage that we've all heard countless times: "Practice makes perfect." While this age-old saying may be well-intentioned, it falls short when it comes to capturing the true essence of practice and its impact on our journey to mastery. In reality, practice makes permanent. Allow me to explain.
Consider the classic example of investing 10,000 hours into mastering a particular skill. This level of dedication and effort will undoubtedly lead to expertise. However, what this saying fails to address is the crucial element of what you practice. Practicing the wrong techniques can inadvertently lead to mastery of the wrong methods, a concept that holds profound significance in both sports and professional domains.?
Take the illustrious golfer Tiger Woods as a case in point. Despite his remarkable talent, he found himself compelled to completely re-engineer his game due to imperfections in his swing. It was only through acknowledging and rectifying these flaws that he managed to stay at the top of his game. This powerful lesson from the world of sports resonates with our endeavours in the professional arena as well.
Applying this insight to the art of presentations, we can discern a clear correlation. Imagine dedicating an extensive amount of time (10,000 hours) to rehearsing presentations laden with bullet points. While you may undoubtedly become highly adept at delivering these specific presentations, you risk stagnating and remaining in a novice environment.
As professionals seeking growth and continuous improvement, we should prioritise practicing the right techniques that align with our aspirations. Embracing more engaging presentation styles, such as storytelling, interactive elements, and visual aids, can elevate our communication skills to new heights.
So, how can we ensure that practice indeed leads to progress rehearse with purpose, rather than mindlessly repeating the same presentations. Focus on specific aspects you wish to improve upon with each rehearsal.?
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While practice undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in achieving expertise, we must remember that the path to mastery lies not just in the quantity of hours invested, but also in the quality of practice itself.?
Strive to practice with purpose, embrace innovation, and be open to learning from your experiences. By doing so, we can confidently navigate our professional journeys and shatter the barriers that confine us to mediocrity.
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What are your key takeaways? Let me know in the comments below ??
Customer Success Director at Retail Assist & Barron McCann Limited
1 年I spent time with Nicci probably 14 years ago in a previous role, and the techniques and transformation it made to my presentation style has served me well, and also facilitates a more flexible agile engagement. I mean, what if a question is asked and your next set of bullets completely contradicts that? And yet there they are, front and centre! Storytelling allows you pivot and weave as required. I have to admit at least one of the slides that was developed for my previous role still exists in my go-to library. Ironically it’s about how we can evolve and change our approach in sync with our customers requirements over time. What is sometimes difficult is convincing my colleagues that putting less on the screen, is quite often more!
100% agree, Nicci external coaching is a game changer training will help, but it does not develop a professionalcoach can transform performance
Winning business and delivering results through collaboration
1 年Hard as I try not to use bullet points in presentations, they still sneak in there. Must try harder!