The Value of Practice

Daniel Coyle teaches us the value of practice in this words of wisdom from his book, The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How. He writes,

“Long story short: a few years ago a group of American and Norwegian researchers did a study to see what made babies improve at walking. They discovered that the key factor wasn’t height or weight or age or brain development or any other innate trait but rather (surprise!) the amount of time they spent firing their circuits, trying to walk.

However well this finding might support our thesis, its real use is to paint a vivid picture of what deep practice feels like. It’s the feeling, in short, of being a staggering baby, of intensely, clumsily lurching toward a goal and toppling over. It’s a wobbly, discomfiting sensation that any sensible person would instinctively seek to avoid. Yet the longer the babies remained in that state—the more willing they were to endure it, and to permit themselves to fail—the more myelin they built, and the more skill they earned. The staggering babies embody the deepest truth about deep practice: to get good, it’s helpful to be willing, even enthusiastic, about being bad. Baby steps are the royal road to skill.”
~ Daniel Coyle The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.

We shouldn’t be surprised if our meditation practice takes a long time to develop or mature. It is a question of spending time on the cushion and chalking up the hours we need to enliven our practice.

What is stopping your practice? If I can help, please let me know.

If your practice is working, what makes it so?

Books by Daniel Coyle

The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How. by Daniel Coyle What is the secret of talent? How do we unlock it? In this groundbreaking work, journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle provides parents, teachers, coaches, businesspeople—and everyone else—with tools they can use to maximize potential in themselves and others. W… [Read More…]