Practice Perfect
"To practice is to declare, I can be better. There are many full–stop moments in Practice Perfect ideas so interesting that you can′t help but pause for a second and consider them."
FROM THE FOREWORD BY DAN HEATH, coauthor of Made to Stick and Switch
We love competition, the big win, the ticking seconds of the clock as the game comes down to the wire. We watch games and cheer, but if we really wanted to see greatness we′d spend our time watching, obsessing on, and maybe even cheering the practice sessions instead. Practice Perfect puts the art of practice front and center. It shows that anyone, in any field, can come to appreciate that practice, not games, makes champions.
In Practice Perfect, the authors engage the dream of better. Filled with illustrative examples from top–level athletes, established teachers, seasoned lawyers, and even long–time surgeons, the authors show how deliberately engineered and designed practice can revolutionize our most important activities.
The "how–to" rules outlined in Practice Perfect can make us better in virtually every performance of life. The ideas are often counterintuitive, such as: don′t concentrate on your weakness, practice what you are good at. To get you started on your path to "better" the authors have included a number of specific activities that will jump–start your way to practicing perfect.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Dan Heath xiPreface: Why Practice? Why Now? xv
Introduction: The Power of Practice 1
RETHINKING PRACTICE 21
Rule 1 Encode Success 25
Rule 2 Practice the 20 29
Rule 3 Let the Mind Follow the Body 32
Rule 4 Unlock Creativity . . . with Repetition 36
Rule 5 Replace Your Purpose (with an Objective) 40
Rule 6 Practice Bright Spots 44
Rule 7 Differentiate Drill from Scrimmage 48
Rule 8 Correct Instead of Critique 52
HOW TO PRACTICE 55
Rule 9 Analyze the Game 58
Rule 10 Isolate the Skill 62
Rule 11 Name It 66
Rule 12 Integrate the Skills 68
Rule 13 Make a Plan 72
Rule 14 Make Each Minute Matter 76
USING MODELING 83
Rule 15 Model and Describe 86
Rule 16 Call Your Shots 87
Rule 17 Make Models Believable 92
Rule 18 Try Supermodeling 95
Rule 19 Insist They Walk This Way 96
Rule 20 Model Skinny Parts 99
Rule 21 Model the Path 101
Rule 22 Get Ready for Your Close–up 104
FEEDBACK 107
Rule 23 Practice Using Feedback (Not Just Getting It) 109
Rule 24 Apply First, Then Reflect 114
Rule 25 Shorten the Feedback Loop 117
Rule 26 Use the Power of Positive 121
Rule 27 Limit Yourself 126
Rule 28 Make It an Everyday Thing 128
Rule 29 Describe the Solution (Not the Problem) 130
Rule 30 Lock It In 133
CULTURE OF PRACTICE 139
Rule 31 Normalize Error 143
Rule 32 Break Down the Barriers to Practice 148
Rule 33 Make It Fun to Practice 154
Rule 34 Everybody Does It 159
Rule 35 Leverage Peer–to–Peer Accountability 162
Rule 36 Hire for Practice 165
Rule 37 Praise the Work 169
POST–PRACTICE: MAKING NEW SKILLS STICK 173
Rule 38 Look for the Right Things 176
Rule 39 Coach During the Game (Don t Teach) 180
Rule 40 Keep Talking 183
Rule 41 Walk the Line (Between Support and Demand) 185
Rule 42 Measure Success 188
CONCLUSION: THE MONDAY MORNING TEST 193
Appendix A: Teaching Techniques from
Teach Like a Champion 205
Appendix B: Sample Practice Activities 229
Notes 241
Acknowledgments 245
About the Authors 249
Summary of Rules 251
Index 255
