Three Ways To Ensure Your Progress During The Process

We—or at least the majority of us, have all heard the phrase Practice makes perfect, and the philosophy of the term has always made sense, unless you are one of the very few people on earth that actually took out the time to question the accuracy of that myth. I—like you, were one of the select few that questioned the truth of that statement, and the conclusion that I came up with was remarkable.

Think about it. If practice makes perfect, why does the basketball player that spends countless hours practicing in the gym, still miss shots or layups in the actual game. I mean, the goal is to practice so relentlessly that every shot that the player takes—goes in, with no doubt that the sound of ‘swish’ will be the outcome of their attempt… Right? 

However, let’s take Michael Jordan for example. MJ was one the hardest working basketball players of all-time—if not the hardest working of all-time. In his 2013 “1-on-1” interview with Ahmad Rashad, Michael Jordan made the statement “I practice as if I’m playing in the game, so when the moment comes in the game—it’s not new to me”( watch ). Those moments are what led many to believe that MJ was the greatest game winning shot-maker that the game of basketball has ever seen. Yet, that doesn’t change the fact that he also missed over 9,000+ shots in his NBA career—many of which were also game winning attempts. How is that possible though; being that we were always told that Practice makes perfect?

I feel that you get were I'm going with this by now. The reference above—about Michael Jordan, proves that the theory of practice, most certainly doesn’t make perfect—because perfection doesn’t exist. It does however, help one to understand that Practice makes progress and this notion is what always propelled MJ to win. In the words of his former teammate, BJ Armstrong, “MJ would never tell you that he lost. He either won.. or he learned ”( watch ). This is the attitude of mind that we must all have towards progress in our respective space of expertise. 

Here are 3-ways to sustain progress as you build your personal brand, product, or service—versus aiming for perfection. 

Create A Simple System That You Can Adhere To Daily:

This system can be you reading one chapter or even one page of a book, per day—that keeps you in alignment with enhancing your personal brand, product, or service. This system, could also be you listening to a YouTube channel or podcast episode that helps you critique and refine the details of your personal brand, product, or service. Keep your system simple and track your progress daily, in efforts to build momentum.

Turn Your Background Noise Down, From a “10 to a 2” 

Got ya! This background noise that I’m referring to is NOT music, NOR the television. The background noise that typically stifles the fluidity of a person’s progress, is the attention that they give to others that are in the same business or arena that they’re in—better none as the competitor. How alert you are in terms of others and how much better or worse they’re doing in comparison to you, WILL ALWAYS be your achilleas heel. I recommend that you grab the remote control of your life, and turn your focus on others down from a “10 to a 2”. Then, turn the focus on yourself up from a “2 to a 10”. 

Sure, being aware of your competition is undeniably necessary and healthy, because you’ll always want to be abreast of anything they’re doing that mirrors your likeness. However, the continuation of focusing on your craft and the dedication to improving your personal and professional development—is what will ultimately allow you to thrive! The key thing to remember is this: The person that you were yesterday is your only competitor, and becoming better than him or her, daily, is the only measure of true progress. 

Understand that No doesn’t Always mean “No”. It May Mean “Not Right Now”

Never let the word “NO” hinder your ability to move forward. Timing is everything, and time will always appropriate each milestone that gets you closer to your ultimate goal and/or your definition of success. The interview request that you desire to receive. The phone call that you’ve been dying to get from that one employer, podcast host, or potential client the you’ve been hoping to hear from; Time will appropriate it all… As long as you’re doing your part, by working diligently on your craft and staying true to the understanding that progress is always taking place—even if you don’t feel or see the movement happening with your naked eye.

These are just 3 simple ways to sustain progress, along with you being aware that progress is always taking place. As long as you’re doing your part—the universe will always meet you half-way to ensure that you reach the desired destination that’s fostered in your minds eye.

-       Emanuel Thomas