Hello, listeners.
It's April 5, 2024, and you're joining another episode of The Science
of Self, where you improve your life from the inside out.
Today's episode dives into the world of practice, but not just any practice.
Perfect practice.
We'll be exploring strategies from the book by Peter Hollinson, how to elevate your skill
development through active reflection, strategic goal setting, and even a tour of alter ego
creation.
Are you ready to unlock a whole new level of practice?
Let's dive in.
Friedman’s Ways to Make the Most Out of Practice
“Practice doesn’t make perfect.
Perfect practice makes perfect.”
You’ve probably heard that quote somewhere before, right?
It’s a great piece of advice, and it reminds us that it’s worth picking apart our assumptions
about this vague word “practice” to get to the heart of what we’re really trying
to do when we attempt to master a new skill.
A while back, it became fashionable to think of your cardiovascular fitness in terms of
steps.
If you could achieve the magical number of ten thousand steps every day, you could enjoy
good heart health, lose weight, and all the rest.
Without thinking too much about where this “rule” came from or its underlying rationale
(why ten thousand, exactly?
What about 9,998 steps?
What counts as a step, anyway?), people got to work getting those steps in no matter what.
They tracked steps with apps and gadgets, entered step competitions with colleagues,
and found themselves obsessively wondering how many steps they racked up walking to the
kitchen or checking the mailbox.
Similarly, Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success proposed the very same
number—ten thousand—as the number of hours of practice required to become a master performer
in any particular area.
Cue the world frantically calculating how many hours of accordion practice or oil painting
or Jiu Jitsu they have to squeeze in if they hope to achieve mastery before they die.
By the way, in case you’re curious, if you practiced an hour a day every single day for
the rest of your life, it would take more than twenty-seven years to rack up your ten
thousand hours.
Ouch.
The good news is, you don’t have to walk ten thousand steps a day, and you don’t
need to commit ten thousand hours of practice to master any skill.
The book was inspired in part by research by Ericsson and colleagues, who investigated
the progress of violin students at a Berlin music academy and discovered that the best
performers had put in around 7400 hours of practice before age eighteen, and around ten
thousand hours by the time they were twenty.
But does this really tell us anything useful about the nature of mastery?
There are a few problems with the idea of thinking that it’s purely the amount of
time you invest that counts.
You should be able to guess the problem by now: Not all practice is created equal.
An hour by a beginner tuba player is not the same as an hour by an advanced software developer
learning a new programming language.
An intense hour where you’re supported by a mentor who is spotting and correcting errors
in real time is not the same as an hour of aimless repetition of things you already know
to do.
So, quantity doesn’t matter, quality does—i.e., “perfect practice” and a deliberate strategy
is what moves you forward, not clocking hours.
If you’re in the gym and trying to master a particular lift, you may need a trainer
at your side to constantly check and correct your form, suggest adjustments, spur you on
when you’re being lazy, and slow you down if you’re rushing.
But deliberate practice is just as much about what happens outside the gym and inside your
head.
So, when we talk about quality practice, we’re not just talking about your technique playing
the violin or doing a deadlift or mastering that triple pirouette.
Your perfect practice also includes the maintenance of the right mindset.
In his book Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success, Ron
Friedman provides strategies for enhancing implementation, which involve effective practice,
performance measurement, and managing the risks necessary for learning and growth.
While it may seem obvious that practice is essential for improvement, Friedman emphasizes
that practicing incorrectly or inefficiently can be a common pitfall.
Incorrect and ineffectual practice can mean a poor technique, but it can also mean a poor
attitude.
To optimize your efforts and avoid wasting time, he presents several guidelines for practicing
effectively.
Reflect
Unless you’re at school, you’re probably going to have to be an adult and take charge
of your own learning process.
That means monitoring your performance, keeping track of your goals, and continually adjusting
your strategy as you go.
In other words, you cannot be passive.
Ask yourself:
What’s working and what’s not working?
What’s the one thing I could do right now that would instantly make things easier/better?
Am I doing anything that’s not really necessary or essential?
Can I drop it?
Get in the habit of comparing before and afters—not to judge or condemn yourself, but to keep
a keen eye on how you’re advancing and why.
Take note where you are at the beginning of a practice session, and where you are at the
end.
Take one day a week where you review your progress and set new goals for yourself.
Once a month or even once a year, take a moment to see what you’ve achieved, what you haven’t,
and what you can do now to address those gaps.
A journal is a great way to keep track of all this data, but wherever possible, assign
numbers to the data you’re gathering so you can accurately measure and quantify your
progress (or lack thereof).
Doing so allows you to see broader patterns you might have missed otherwise.
For example, you might start to notice over the course of a few months that your performance
is always worse on a Monday.
You investigate and realize that you tend to stay up late on Sunday evenings, and you’re
too tired to make the best use of your practice sessions early the next morning.
So you change up your schedule.
Perhaps you notice that when you make your practice sessions shorter, you actually end
up achieving more and feeling more positive about your gains.
You decide to experiment by making them even shorter and see what happens.
Challenge Yourself
According to Friedman, the real value of practice is not to keep rehearsing at the same level,
but to constantly be pushing up against your current skill and comfort level.
There is a Greek story about a mighty warrior called Milo who lived in the sixth century
BC.
He was a celebrated athlete and wrestler, and renowned for his unique training regimen.
It was said that Milo started his training by carrying a newborn calf on his shoulders
a certain distance.
The next day, he picked up the same calf and repeated the task.
He did this every day after, but of course, as the calf slowly grew, so did his strength.
At last, Milo was able to carry a fully grown bull on his shoulders.
In fitness and weight training circles, Milo’s story is often used to illustrate the principle
of progressive overload.
The idea is to never stagnate at a fixed, comfortable level, but to be constantly challenging
yourself, even if just in tiny increments.
In the gym, this looks like gradually increasing the weight, reps, or sets you complete of
a certain exercise, or decreasing the recovery time between exercises.
But the principle can be applied to other forms of practice, too.
If your practice gets too repetitive or easy, you’re not really learning anything (well,
except perhaps how to repeat an easy thing!).
This can creep up on you very quickly if you’re not vigilant.
For example, you may set yourself a challenge to master two hundred new vocabulary words
in the language you’re learning, and then achieve this goal.
You may be so proud of yourself and so keen to enjoy your new achievement that you waste
quite a lot of time drilling and revisiting those same vocabulary words—instead of learning
new ones.
The moment you find something easy, that’s a signal for you to check to see if you can
dial things up a notch.
Stay in the learning zone, not the “happily coasting” zone.
That might mean, for example, identifying the three out of ten most challenging math
questions in a practice paper, and deciding to make them the focus of your study session
that day, rather than devoting all your time to the remaining seven that you have already
mastered and find pretty easy.
Ask yourself:
Can I do more?
Is there anywhere I’m being complacent?
What difficult next step might I be avoiding?
Mentally Rehearse
If you’re thinking creatively, the definition of “practice” can include lots of different
things.
Mental rehearsal and purposeful visualization are extremely powerful—and it’s an approach
that many of the world’s greats have used to their advantage.
In 1972, Suinn et al. published a study showing that the muscles in the legs of competitive
skiers were activated almost to the same degree when they were imagining skiing as when they
were actually doing it.
That’s a pretty startling finding—it strongly suggests that mental rehearsal is almost as
valuable as physically going through the motions.
Now, in fairness, the astonishing results of this study have yet to be replicated to
this extent, but this hasn’t stopped many professional skiers—not to mention golfers,
runners, swimmers, etc.—from using mental rehearsal themselves.
It may be that imaginal rehearsal works because of its overall effects on the central nervous
system, and helps people mentally and psychologically prepare and self-regulate.
Whatever the mechanism, it’s worth exploring whether this form of “practice” can be
useful for you.
It's easy to do, only it takes a little time and focus.
As if you were meditating, go quiet in yourself, still your body and breath, and then try to
conjure a vivid “picture” in your mind (it doesn’t have to literally be an image,
by the way, but should be multisensory and include thoughts and emotions, too).
Depending on the goals you’re trying to achieve, carefully imagine the time, place,
sensory details, and nuances of a scene you’re rehearsing.
Maybe it’s a music recital or other performance, a test, or simply a scenario in which you
overcome your current challenges.
Mental imagery helps you de-stress and focus, “troubleshoot,” and lock down important
details of previous learning.
However, avoid focusing on success imagery, as it can lead to complacency and hinder performance.
Practice is about how you get there—focusing on the point where you’re already there
may feel nice, but it’s unlikely to be useful in any way.
For example, prior to running a marathon, mentally rehearse how you might move through
each training session leading up to the big day.
Flesh it out in your mind’s eye.
See possible obstacles (for example, skipping sessions) and rehearse exactly what you’ll
do when the temptation arises, and how you’ll get around it.
Picture yourself waking up every morning and the exact sequence of events you’ll follow
to get out there on the road.
Dwell on the feeling of the shoelaces in your hand, the chillness of the air outside.
In your mind, rehearse the self-talk “I can do this.
One step at a time, I can do it.”
Perhaps as you run through this “movie” in your mind again and again, you start to
connect it with positive emotions such as pride, determination, and a feeling of invincibility.
In your imagination, you see yourself smiling as you head out the door, knowing that for
today, you’ve conquered your fear and laziness.
The next morning, when you wake up, you do the routine exactly as you imagined it first
in your mind.
Mental rehearsal is great for drilling the actual tasks you are trying to master—for
example, mentally running through guitar fingering sequences while you’re riding the subway,
or quietly practicing a speech in your head as you shower.
But, as you can see with the marathon example, it’s also useful for rehearsing attitudes,
ways of coping, and techniques for overcoming challenges.
Create an Alter Ego
Natalie is a shy person.
She’s also dead funny and has wanted to be a standup comedian for as long as she can
remember.
She spends two hours every Thursday evening at a local comedy club, where she perfects
her routine at an open mic night.
Over the years, she’s polished her unique voice and her content to such a degree that
she regularly gets standing ovations.
A fan approaches her after a particularly successful show and is filled with praise
for Natalie.
“How do you do that?” says the fan.
“You’re so confident.
I wish I was that brave.
The thing is, I’m really, really shy.”
“Yeah,” says Natalie.
“So am I.”
“You are?
But you don’t seem shy.
How can you get up there on that stage when you feel shy?”
“Well, I can’t.
But I created another version of myself who can.”
Natalie explains that every Thursday evening, she actually takes on the role of an entirely
different persona—Naomi.
This Naomi is calm and witty and oozes charm and likeability.
Where Natalie feels self-conscious about performing, Naomi actually seeks out the limelight and
thrives in it.
Where Natalie is worried about whether she’ll make a fool of herself, Naomi purposefully
tries to make a fool of herself—and entertain her audience in the process.
Natalie has discovered the power of having an alter ego (from the Latin for “other
self”), which is a well-known technique that performers of all stripes have used for
decades.
You don’t need to be a comedian to benefit from this technique, though.
Developing your own personalized alter ego is a powerful strategy to bridge the gap between
your current ability and your aspired level of competence, whether it’s with public
speaking, sports, languages, instruments, or something else.
Remember Vygotsky and the zone of proximal development?
Well, the act of assuming the role of someone who is more skillful than yourself is really
just a way of being your own MKO—more knowledgeable other.
When you pretend to be your alter ego, what you are doing is using their identity as a
set of training wheels for your own behavior:
1.
You recognize your own limited skills
2.
You imagine someone else who doesn’t have those limitations
3.
You imagine what they would do
4.
You act “as if” you are them, and do what they would do
5.
It feels phony at first (after all, it’s just acting), but soon, you seem to really
identify with the role
6.
At some point, you are no longer acting.
You are that role
7.
Standing ovation
Effective parents use this technique when they want to help their children master some
new skill.
They say, “I know you’re afraid of getting your shot, but imagine you’re Batman.
He would be brave and strong, wouldn’t he?
Let’s pretend we’re Batman when we go to the clinic today and see if you can be
brave and strong like him.”
Natalie essentially did the same thing.
“I know you’re shy and afraid of standing up on stage, but imagine you’re already
a totally amazing performer, someone called, I don’t know, Naomi.
She would just strut out there and own the stage, wouldn’t she?
Let’s pretend we’re her and see if we can mimic some of that self-confidence.”
By embodying this alter ego, you can tap into new qualities and strengths that might otherwise
be inaccessible because of self-doubt.
You might always think that a certain desired behavior is out there, something that belongs
to other people, something you could never have or be.
When you make-believe that you are your alter ego, those qualities are brought much closer
to your world and into your self-concept.
It’s like a self-induced placebo—you step out of your comfort zone and actually do perform
at that higher level.
It’s an interesting philosophical question: What really is the difference between pretending
to be competent and actually being competent?
Meanwhile, your psyche is busy adjusting itself and resolving the discrepancy—it starts
to believe its own act.
The advice to “fake it until you make it,” then, turns out to be solid gold.
You may get stumped by obstacles and adversities—but as long as you can imagine that your alter
ego doesn’t, you can see a way forward.
You may find certain tasks almost impossible, but if you can imagine an alter ego who finds
them easy, you can start to believe that they are possible and exactly how you might make
a bit of progress.
You may feel lazy, afraid, resentful, confused, or anything else, but if you can imagine that
your alter ego doesn’t feel that way, you open up the possibility of slowly shifting
your mindset.
The good news is that you probably already know how to use this technique—we were all
experts at this game when we were children!
Nevertheless, here’s a more systematic approach for using alter egos to bootstrap yourself
to higher levels of mastery in your own practice.
Step 1: Identify the alter ego’s essence
When embarking on your journey to practice a new skill, consider adopting the alter ego
strategy by creating two contrasting personas.
On one side, there's your familiar self, the comfort zone dweller and the self-doubter.
This version holds you back, plays it safe, and cares too much about others' opinions.
On the other side, you have your heroic self, the epitome of your best qualities, and the
fearless one.
This self lives in the moment, exudes confidence in abilities, and fearlessly takes on challenges.
The big caveat here, however, is not to think that the “old self” is a shameful baddie
who is, unfortunately, the real you, while the heroic self is nice but “fake.”
The truth is, you possess qualities from both of these selves—right now you possess heroic
traits, and they are already within you, just waiting to be developed and focused on.
There’s a reason so many kids’ stories end up with the hero discovering that they
“had it in them all along”—the alter ego is not fake at all, but just a kind of
crutch you use until you can convince yourself that you were already that person.
Think of the old self as a role you could potentially choose to play as well.
That’s a mask you put on just as surely as you put on the hero’s mask.
The only difference is that to play that role, you consciously limit yourself and play small,
whereas when you wear the hero mask, you don’t hold back.
To start creating your alter ego, you need to think of the task ahead of you.
For Natalie, it was doing a full standup routine without having a nervous breakdown.
She analyzed that into a series of different tasks and then asked about the kind of person
who would be able to do those tasks with ease.
The later ego works best for the more mental skills and emotions that accompany the actual
physical tasks you need to perform, for example:
• Calming your nerves (before a speech)
• Staying fully in the moment (singing opera)
• Being supremely focused (playing chess)
• Being resilient, i.e., not “spooked” by anything (martial arts)
• Being competitive, aggressive, in “attack mode” (horse riding, racing sports)
• Being quick and flowing effortlessly (delivering a lecture)
• Being confident (making a sales pitch)
• Staying limber and adaptable (dancing, painting)
You get the idea!
Another way to identify the mental state you wish to emulate is to work backward: Look
at where you currently are and invert it.
For example, if you feel stiff and uncomfortable, zoom in on the state of mind of naturalness
and ease.
Another fun way to find the essence of your later ego is to ask yourself: if I could be
a superhero right now, what superpower would most help me in my current practice?
Your alter ego may be based on just one main feeling, or it could be a blend of more than
one, depending on your needs.
Don’t be afraid to create a few different alter egos for different situations or skills.
Step 2: Be Creative
Unleash the magic of this process by tapping into your imagination—a potent tool that
is always at our disposal.
Personalizing your alter ego with creativity and playfulness enhances your ability to really
identify with it—and achieve consistent peak performance.
What’s their name?
What do they look like?
What’s their “calling card”?
Do they have any catchphrases or mottos?
Are they from another planet?
Are they maybe an animal—even a mythical animal?
If they could talk to you, what might they say?
Have fun with this.
While it might feel a little silly at first, give it a try—because it works!
The only objective here is to create a unique identity that resonates with you.
You never have to share this alter ego with anyone else, and it doesn’t have to look
like anyone else’s either, so don’t worry about being unconventional.
Your alter ego can be a blend of people you know in real life, role models, celebrities,
or just a slightly improved version of yourself.
If you like, incorporate mythical or religious elements, use imagery from art or media, and
imbue your character with plenty of symbolism that will help you better connect to them.
Natalie’s alter ego Naomi is a seven-foot-tall redhead who is actually part fox and has the
dress sense and hairdo of her favorite golden-era Hollywood actress, Lauren Bacall.
Your alter ego may be based on the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon, and you bring out his
persona when you’re doing the swimming portion of a triathlon.
You tap into powerful feelings of commanding not just the sea, but your own regal self
as you push yourself through the punishing water.
Or maybe your alter ego is a smaller one: Whenever you go into the kitchen, you temporarily
imagine yourself as a wise old Italian nonna.
The tomato sauce tastes too sharp.
What would she do if she were here in the kitchen with you now?
(In an Italian accent, you tell yourself, “I’ll just add a little sugar, no big
deal . . .”)
Alter egos can be especially useful if you’re trying to learn another language.
That’s because language is closely connected to the place and culture that it sprang from.
It’s why we associate an upper-class British accent with sophistication and a certain uptightness,
why we see French as sexy and libertine, and why we associate someone with an accent we
can’t identify as mysterious and exotic.
If you’re learning a new language, you can deliberately give your alter ego a culture-bound
identity.
In other words, if you’re learning French, you may actually learn faster if you create
a French version of yourself and pretend to be them.
You may create a vivid image of the French self in your mind (don’t worry if you lean
heavily into embarrassing or inaccurate stereotypes—it doesn’t matter!).
You give this person a French name, dress them in French clothes, gives them French
mannerisms, and make them talk about French things.
People who are naturally good at picking up languages tend to do this unconsciously.
They end up acquiring not just a new language but an entirely new way of being in the world.
Think carefully about how this principle may apply to your chosen field of mastery.
If you’re studying medicine, how can you embody the persona of an ideal physician?
How does an accomplished doctor look, sound, and move?
Or if you want to be an established and respected entrepreneur, ask yourself, how does such
a person communicate?
What is their lifestyle like, and how do they interact with others?
What do they eat for breakfast?!
Questions like these may seem silly, but the more psychological scaffolding you can identify
for the state of mind you’re aspiring to, the easier it will be to move yourself from
where you are to where (or who!) you want
to be.
Summary:
• Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.
Don’t worry about the quantity of practice you do, but its quality.
Friedman recommends actively reflecting on your progress, monitoring your performance,
keeping track of your goals, and continually adjusting your strategy as you go.
• Likewise, continually challenge yourself; don’t keep rehearsing at the same level,
but constantly push up against your current skill and comfort level.
“Practice” can include mental rehearsal.
Carefully conjure up the time, place, sensory details, and nuances of a scene you’re rehearsing
in your imagination.
• Finally, improve your performance by creating an alter ego to bridge the gap between your
current ability and your aspired level of competence.
Identify the character’s essence, create a persona, then tap into your imagination
to fuse with that role.
For more insights and information from Peter Hollins, check out his website
at bit.ly-PeterHollins.
Thanks for joining us on The Science of Self.
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Until next time, keep improving yourself from the inside out.