Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
Anders Ericsson's research on expert performers revealed that quantity of practice matters less than quality. What separates experts is deliberate practice—a specific type of training designed for improvement.
What Is Deliberate Practice?
Deliberate practice has specific characteristics:
- Targets weaknesses - Focuses on what you can't do well
- At the edge of ability - Challenging but achievable
- Immediate feedback - Know whether you're improving
- High concentration - Full attention required
- Goal-directed - Clear objectives for each session
What Deliberate Practice Is NOT
- Mindless repetition
- Practicing what you're already good at
- Going through the motions
- Practice without feedback
The 10,000 Hour Myth
Ericsson's research was misinterpreted. It's not 10,000 hours of any practice—it's 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. Most people practice for years without improving because they're not practicing deliberately.
Implementing Deliberate Practice
Identify Weaknesses
What specifically are you bad at? Break skills into components. Target the weakest.
Design Drills
Create exercises that isolate the weakness. A musician practices the difficult measure, not the whole piece.
Get Feedback
How do you know you're improving? Record yourself. Get a coach. Compare to expert examples.
Stay in the Struggle Zone
If it's easy, you're not improving. If it's impossible, you're frustrated. Find the challenging-but-achievable zone.
Focus Completely
Deliberate practice is mentally demanding. Short, focused sessions beat long, unfocused ones.
Examples
Music: Isolate difficult passages, practice slowly, use metronome, record and review
Chess: Study grandmaster games, solve tactical puzzles, analyze your own losses
Writing: Get feedback, revise repeatedly, study great writing, practice specific techniques
Sports: Video analysis, drill specific movements, simulate game situations
Why It's Hard
Deliberate practice is uncomfortable by design. You're constantly working on what you're bad at. It requires sustained concentration.
Most people avoid this discomfort. That's why most people don't become experts.
Related Articles:
- How to Learn Any Skill Faster
- Breaking Through Plateaus
Practice deliberately with BrainRash - Start free
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