So You Want To Be A...
Dec. 11th, 2006 05:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tcepsaFor anyone attempting to learn a new skill and coming up against the argument or doubt about how "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," this article suggests otherwise.
Though it is less cited than I'd like, I've had enough experiences of my own that indicate it's probably correct when it talks about the fact that most people have the capacity to be extraordinary at most things; the primary barrier is that they do not practice, or that they do not practice well.
I recently attended a presentation where the speaker made a point along the lines that, "practice does not make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. If your practice is incorrect, then you will get better and better at doing something incorrectly." (I'm not too fond of that saying, actually, because it seems to indicate that if you cannot already do something perfectly, you might as well not even try because you'll just get better at sucking.) While less catchy, I prefer the idea that "Improving practice makes perfect." The way I try to think about it is that when I am practicing I must have a picture in my mind of where I want to be--the clearer and more detailed the better. Then, as I practice, I do my best to compare what I am doing with that ideal image in my head. I try to notice where the largest discrepancy is and focus on bringing that closer to the image in my mind as I continue to practice.
Probably the hardest part of that process for me is disengaging my ego as I'm doing the comparison between what I did and what I wanted to do. That's one of its favorite times to go "Wow, that was awful! What makes me think I can do this? I've been working at this for a week now; I should be much better at this than I am!" It's really tough to figure out where those discrepancies are and how to correct them when the ego is going, "Man, what's the point? I'm never going to learn this, so why bother?" So there's also some meta-practice needed: practicing practicing in order to get better at it (i.e. to get better at figuring out what to do to improve and at tuning out that "I suck there's no use this is pointless" part of my mind). Zazen (sitting meditation) seems to be a good way to do that. The point is basically to be aware of what is going on in your body and mind without becoming attached to it, or to detach and return to that state of observation if you find yourself focusing on something in particular. (There are lots of different ways to approach zazen, but that is one that I like to work with).
This afternoon ramble brought to you by the letters C, P, and U ^_^
Though it is less cited than I'd like, I've had enough experiences of my own that indicate it's probably correct when it talks about the fact that most people have the capacity to be extraordinary at most things; the primary barrier is that they do not practice, or that they do not practice well.
I recently attended a presentation where the speaker made a point along the lines that, "practice does not make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. If your practice is incorrect, then you will get better and better at doing something incorrectly." (I'm not too fond of that saying, actually, because it seems to indicate that if you cannot already do something perfectly, you might as well not even try because you'll just get better at sucking.) While less catchy, I prefer the idea that "Improving practice makes perfect." The way I try to think about it is that when I am practicing I must have a picture in my mind of where I want to be--the clearer and more detailed the better. Then, as I practice, I do my best to compare what I am doing with that ideal image in my head. I try to notice where the largest discrepancy is and focus on bringing that closer to the image in my mind as I continue to practice.
Probably the hardest part of that process for me is disengaging my ego as I'm doing the comparison between what I did and what I wanted to do. That's one of its favorite times to go "Wow, that was awful! What makes me think I can do this? I've been working at this for a week now; I should be much better at this than I am!" It's really tough to figure out where those discrepancies are and how to correct them when the ego is going, "Man, what's the point? I'm never going to learn this, so why bother?" So there's also some meta-practice needed: practicing practicing in order to get better at it (i.e. to get better at figuring out what to do to improve and at tuning out that "I suck there's no use this is pointless" part of my mind). Zazen (sitting meditation) seems to be a good way to do that. The point is basically to be aware of what is going on in your body and mind without becoming attached to it, or to detach and return to that state of observation if you find yourself focusing on something in particular. (There are lots of different ways to approach zazen, but that is one that I like to work with).
This afternoon ramble brought to you by the letters C, P, and U ^_^
