Looking for success? Focus on practice rather than performing

What holds you back from success?

I recall training for the 1976 Olympic decathlon under U.S. track coach Tom Tellez. One of the first things he tried to get across is that he wanted me to just focus on doing each part of an event correctly, and the results of this practice would come later. Sounded easy, but my tendency was to want to see how far I was jumping right now.

He kept hammering on me to completely focus on my mechanics and work to improve them. He said, “A good jump with bad form is a bad jump anyway.”

A recent report says most spend about 90% of their time “performing” and 10% on “actual practice” in their discipline – but high achievers’ ratio is the opposite.

Focusing on practicing eases the pressure of “performing,” changing the focus of the work from “competing against yourself” to one of discovery and learning. It’s no longer, “What did I catch today?” It becomes, “What did I learn and execute correctly today?” Everything you do becomes something you can evaluate and improve. That mindset keeps your mind free to learn faster. A relaxed muscle (brain) is both faster and stronger than one that’s tense and trying harder.

This emphasis on practicing also has the effect of expanding your boundaries so you become more competent and intuitive. Experts are usually competent in many related fields.

Hitting the water looking to become a better and more competent angler is a good way to look at “practicing” your art. It’s a healthy way to grow and improve your skills even if the fish aren’t biting. In fact, whether they’re biting or not shouldn’t stop you from learning and having a profitable trip. Your greatest victories can come when things are the hardest. That’s when you learn – if that’s your goal and focus.

Practice being the best “you,” it’s the real key. Then when you’ve done all your work and have it all together, that’s when your “performance” will explode.

Coach Tellez kept me focused on the fundamentals, practicing them every day. The breakthrough came unexpectedly. I ended up long jumping 25 feet, A huge jump for a decathlete. He just smiled when I did it. He knew what all that focused practice would do.

Never give up!

This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 12:29 PM with the headline "Looking for success? Focus on practice rather than performing."