Thursday, October 3, 2024

Going through the motions

Going through the motions is not a good habit when you’re trying to avoid the work. Yet it can be very useful when you are learning to do the work.

Athletes go through the motions over and over again, and by doing so learn to integrate those motions into competitive play. They call it muscle memory and it is a real thing.

It’s an approach that works well to develop all sorts of genuine behaviors. By going through the motions often enough and long enough, you get good at what you seek to do, or to be.

On the surface, pretending may appear to be disingenuous. On a deeper level it can serve as effective training.

Whether it’s public speaking, pickle ball, leading a group, writing stories, playing an instrument, or just about anything, relentless practice pays off. It is by doing the work that you learn to do the work better and better.

Before you master a skill or habit, get yourself to go through the motions. Keep it up, and improve your performance with every iteration.

— Ralph Marston

Ability to imagine       Challenges you choose

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