The adage states that, “Practice makes perfect.” But does it really? Is perfection even possible, and if not, then what is the point of practice? Practice is about a lot of things, and it truly can lead to a path of positive changes.
Practice is a part of many important processes. Malcolm Gladwell (2008) suggests that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at something. Even if that number is not correct, it still takes a quantity of time, and a quality of time to get better at something (Miller, n.d.). Even individuals with natural born talents must practice honing their talents. Famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma is said to practice three to six hours a day (Roberts, 2021). Golfing great Tiger Woods used to practice almost all day every day, a practice which was described as “relentless” (Rudy, 2018). Practice never got these experts to a point of perfection, though. They just had to keep practicing and getting better.
Practice is a part of not just talent acquisition, but also to healthy mental functioning. Practice is necessary to change the brain, whether to work on thinking more positively, or to reduce an addiction. The more a person practices a new way of thinking, the more they build neuroplasticity and new pathways in the brain (Swart, 2018). These new pathways provide opportunities for new ways of being. Mental health therapy can be helpful in promoting the practice of new thought and behavior patterns, for as therapy pioneer Irving Yalom (2017) states in his book The Gift of Therapy, therapy is a dress rehearsal for life. It is a place to practice skills and techniques so that they may be later used outside the therapy room.
Practice can help improve relationships, too. In Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), an “attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention,” redoes are used to teach desirable behaviors (Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, n.d.; Winters & Herron, 2021). Redoes give children a chance to experience success with behavior, as well as remember the more positive behavior the next time. Does practice of re-dos allow children to perform perfectly. No. But it does help them experience greater success in relationships. Redoes are not just for kids, either. They work for adults in their relationships, whether those relationships are in parenting or in partnerships.
Practice leads to improvement. Practice helps move people closer to their goals. Practice can help improve self-esteem and self-efficacy. Does practice make perfect, though? No. Practice makes progress. Whether done on one’s own, or with the support of a therapist, practice helps move a person towards a more positive future, whatever that person’s view of such a future may be.
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