Does Practicing Something A Lot Make You Better At It?
Have you ever been told, “Practice makes perfect”? Many believe that if you do something for 10,000 hours, you’ll become an expert at it. But is that really true?
I recently wondered about this. I thought about the things I’ve practiced a lot. Did I really spend 10,000 hours on them? And did I get better at everything I practiced that much?
Before I share my thoughts, try this quick activity: Think of 5 things you’re good at and 5 things you’re not so good at. Now, guess how much time you’ve spent on each one. Did you find that you’re only good at the things you’ve spent the most time on? Are there some things you’ve done a lot but still aren’t great at?
Here’s what I discovered about myself:
Simply doing something a lot doesn’t always make you better. For example, I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. But honestly, I’m not that great at it. Just singing every day isn’t enough. To truly improve, I’d need a plan. Maybe a singing coach to guide me. I’d have to check my progress, learn from mistakes, and avoid making the same ones again.
So, here’s the big idea: If you keep doing something the wrong way, you won’t get better. In fact, you might just get really good at doing it wrong! Improving takes effort and intention. Just repeating something isn’t enough; you need to actively try to get better.
Ehoneah Obed: Pharmacist, Software Engineer, Health Informatics Student.
Inspiring tech enthusiasts and future healthcare innovators. Sharing insights on software engineering, health informatics, and motivating young minds in technology and healthcare.
