Have you heard the phrase “practice makes perfect?”
I used to live by it, practicing as much as I possibly could for that ever-elusive perfection.
There was a time in my life when all I could see were my technical flaws, and I let those define me. I never felt like my voice was good enough. Therefore, I never felt good enough.
Shame
Self-doubt
Unworthiness
Comparison
All of the negativity…
But over the years, I learned that practice does NOT make perfect. Perfection doesn’t exist on this earth, and striving for it can take a toll on one’s mental health.
So what does practice make?
Practice makes permanent.
Deliberate practice helps to cement things firmly into muscle memory so that your body knows what to do even when your brain spaces out.
This level of internalized mastery is only possible through practice that is strategic, consistent, repetitive and curious.
Practice makes progress.
The goal is to keep moving forward. Sometimes practicing feels like two steps forward, one step back, but that’s the process. Improving little by little each day eventually compounds interest and leads to dramatic growth.
Practice makes resilient.
Mistakes are inevitable. It’s how you deal with them that matters. Practice helps you to be flexible in the moment and rebound when things don’t go as planned.
Practice makes imperfect.
Humanity is perfectly imperfect. The imperfections make life interesting and lead to connection and empathy. The goal is not to be a perfect robot, but rather to breathe life into the living and share from the heart. Practice allows you to peel back the onion and go deep, revealing greater vulnerability and humanity in the process.
What else would you add to this list? Share your ideas in the comments below:
