Deliberate Practise … the habit of the outlier.

Deliberate practise is the anti-thesis of ‘rote’ practise. it requires mindfulness, self assessment, adjustment, analysis and laser-sharp focus. 

It is more about quality than quantity.

When we practise deliberately, we de-construct the thing we are trying to understand. We break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. We turn these pieces this way and that, trying to see how each piece works and how it relates to the other pieces.

For me, each practise session is an opportunity to re-calibrate and deepen our understanding - and so in a way, is an opportunity for re-invention. The thing may be the same (the technique, the piece of music, the recipe, etc) but we, after each session are a different observer …. more qualified than the observer we were at last practise. Think about this!

‘Practise makes perfect’ - is a silly statement. It doesn’t not! rather, ‘practise makes permanent’ … but is this what we really want?

‘Rote practise’ is comfortable and requires little effort … mindful practise on the other hand, takes us into a more uncomfortable landscape, where we gain new perspectives, deeper understanding and novel appreciation. It’s a different animal.

Habits are formed through practise. And habits need changing and modifying as we grow and develop. One of the best ways to do this, is to engage our and, apply ‘critical’ and ‘analytical’ thinking to what we do. This is not an ordinary path.