Practice, You MUST do it and you MUST do it in a certain way. A form of practice known as “Deliberate Practice” or in some circles known as “Deep Practice” is the only way to achieve the greatest levels in any human endeavour. Every single great human acheivement in sports, music, art, business, etc., etc was the result of “Deliberate Practice”.
There simply is no such thing as being “A Natural”. Does anyone really believe Tiger Woods was born with such a perfect set of physical tools that only he and he alone could have conquered the world of golf. Does anyone really believe that Warren Buffett was born with a natural mental ability to choose winning stocks or companies, an ability simply superior to the billions of others born in his lifetime. Do you know it took Bobby Fischer over 10 years of “Delberate Practice” just before he won his first major title. Maybe you beleive Albert Einstien didn’t mentally go over mathematical equations or question the way the world operates for hours and hours a day.
Well they all practiced. As a group they practiced more than anyone else in their field of expertise. The practiced because they had a passion for what they were doing. Practice was not a chore or a job it was what they loved to do because it made them better at the thing they desired the most.
Let’s eliminate, “Oh She’s a Natural!”, or “He’s so gifted!”, as not only does it put down the effort, those who have become great, had to expend but it also limits the remaining 99.9% of the population who aren’t labeled as “a natural” or “being gifted”. I coach youth basketball as a hobby. I can guarantee that I can take any 10 kids who simply love the game of basketball and are willing to practice each day in the proper way and in 6 years they can beat the best 10 kids labeled and allowed to simply learn the game in a traditional way. Why because my 10 kids will practice 5 days a week simply because they love it.
