Are You Building Muscle Memory? 7 Steps to Repeat for the Win
I recently became an assistant coach for my son’s basketball team, and as we work on fundamentals, it got me thinking about how one develops expertise. I’m sure you’re heard the statistic from Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success that it takes 10,000 hours of doing something to become an expert. In James Clear’s Atomic Habits, when discussing how long it takes for a habit to form, he talks about getting a lot of reps to develop habits – basically doing something so much it becomes, well, a habit.
As I watch these boys work on their ball handling, shooting, and defensive skills. I’m finding myself having to deconstruct each skill into its basic, fundamental parts so that the kids can learn how to build up to the holistic skill. And as we do that, what I’m coming to realize is that they need to build up their muscle memory for the fundamentals so that the basics are second nature and take up no brain processing power.
This is the same process in your career. It’s why the first six months of a new job are so hard – we have to think about everything we’re doing because we haven’t built up the muscle memory. And while we’re typically good at thinking about building our hard skills, we forget that we can hone our soft skills – or as Simon Sinek calls them – our people skills with the same process. Here’s 7 steps to get you started:
1. Start with the Basics: Just like a basketball player needs to master the basics of ball handling, shooting, and defense, professionals should start by breaking down soft skills into fundamental components. Identify the key elements of communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, for example.
2. Break It Down: Deconstruct each soft skill into its basic, fundamental parts. For instance, effective communication involves listening, articulation, and non-verbal cues. Breaking down these skills allows you to focus on specific areas, making it easier to practice and refine each component individually.
3. Get Your Reps In: James Clear's concept of getting a lot of reps applies not only to physical activities and habits. Repetition is key to building muscle memory. Set aside dedicated time for regular practice, whether it's honing your presentation skills, refining your negotiation techniques, or enhancing your conflict resolution abilities.
4. Make Consistency Your Key: Soft skills, like habits, are formed through consistent repetition. Integrate soft skill development into your daily routine. Whether it's incorporating active listening exercises during team meetings or consciously seeking opportunities to collaborate, making these behaviors habitual accelerates the learning process.
5. Focus on Fluency: Much like a seamless basketball play, soft skills should flow effortlessly. Work on transitioning between different soft skills without hesitation. Practice scenarios where you seamlessly shift from effective communication to collaboration, showcasing a holistic mastery of various skills.
6. Simulate Game Day: Prepare for the professional equivalent of game day by simulating real-world scenarios. This could involve role-playing exercises, mock presentations, or team-building activities. Simulating these situations helps build confidence and ensures that your soft skills are ready for action when it truly matters.
7. Feedback Loop: Just as a coach provides feedback to improve performance, seek constructive feedback on your soft skills. Whether it's from colleagues, mentors, or through self-reflection, a continuous feedback loop allows you to identify areas for improvement and adjust your approach accordingly.
On or off the court, you’ve got to break down your skills into the fundaments, then practice, practice, practice. The faster you get in your reps, the faster you can confidently move on to the complex game where the real competition lies.
If you need help building a development plan, contact me about coaching! We can make sure you've got a plan that you're executing like a champ. #coaching #goals #personalgrowth