My game has gotten progressively stronger. I've had a number of rapturous moments during which I've played like the player I long to be. And almost certainly could be. Until recently, I never believed that was possible. For most of my adult life, I've accepted the incredibly durable myth that some people are born with special talents and gifts, and that the potential to truly excel in any given pursuit is largely determined by our genetic inheritance.
During the past year, I've read no fewer than five books -- and a raft of scientific research -- which powerfully challenge that assumption see below for a list. I've also written one, The Way We're Working Isn't Working, which lays out a guide, grounded in the science of high performance, to systematically building your capacity physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. In work with thousands of people, we've found that it's possible to build any given skill or capacity in the same systematic way you do a muscle: regularly push past your comfort zone, and then rest.
We've seen people dramatically improve skills ranging from focus, to empathy, to creativity, to summoning positive emotions, to deeply relaxing. Like everyone who studies performance, I'm indebted to the extraordinary Anders Ericsson, the world's leading researcher into high performance. For more than two decades, Ericsson has been making the case that it's not inherited talent which determines how good we become at something, but rather how hard we're willing to work - something he calls "deliberate practice.
There is something wonderfully empowering about this. It suggests we have remarkable power to influence our own outcomes. But that's also daunting. One of Ericsson's central findings is that practice is not only the most important ingredient in achieving excellence, but also the most difficult and the least intrinsically enjoyable.
If you want to be really good at something, it's going to involve frustration, struggle, setbacks and failures. It will require relentlessly pushing past your comfort zone. That's true as long as you want to continue to improve, or even maintain a high level of excellence. The reward is that being really good at something you've earned through your own hard work can be immensely satisfying.
Pursue what you love. It fuels focus, resilience, and perseverance. Do the hardest work first. We all move instinctively toward pleasure and away from pain. Most great performers, Ericsson and others have found, delay gratification and take on the difficult work of practice in the mornings, before they do anything else. Practice intensely , without interruption for short periods of no longer than 90 minutes and then take a break. Ninety minutes appears to be the maximum amount of time that we can bring the highest level of focus to any given activity.
Seek expert feedback , in intermittent doses. The simpler and more precise the feedback, the more equipped you are to make adjustments. Too much feedback, too continuously, however, can create cognitive overload, increase anxiety, and interfere with learning.
Take regular renewal breaks. Relaxing after intense effort not only provides an opportunity to rejuvenate, but also to metabolize and embed learning. Ritualize practice. Will and discipline are wildly overrated. As the researcher Roy Baumeister has found, none of us have very much of it. So, how do you translate this into your business? This is so much more productive than trying to instill passion into an lethargic worker!
Build a culture that encourages continual learning. Fill your company with employees that are continually learning and becoming better! Crypto Forex Money Property Stocks. Chinese Korean Russian. What to buy. About Dumb Little Man. Facebook Twitter instagram Pinterest. Recent Stories. Author: Ruth Jesse Ruth is a life coach who specialises in finance, relationships and career development.
Web More Posts Development Most Popular Motivation. Two years ago, I left my regular job to pursue my true passion in personal development. I started The Personal Excellence Blog where I share my best advice and help others achieve personal excellence and live their best lives. It has quickly established itself as a trusted and coming-to-age personal development blog, having k readers a day and being featured by prominent media, including CNN.
Table of Contents Have the end in mind Do what you love Work harder than anyone else Make use of every moment Take action to achieve your results Continuously upgrade yourself Ask for feedback Strive for 1 in what you do. Closing Like this Article? Subscribe to Our Feed! Like this Article?
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