Grind

GRIND (v) : to perform repetitive actions over and over in order to attain a goal

TIP #16 EACH DAY, TRY TO BUILD ONE PERFECT CHUNK

In our busy lives, it’s sometimes tempting to regard merely practicing as a success. We complete the appointed hour and sigh victoriously—mission accomplished! But the real goal isn’t practice; it’s progress. As John Wooden put it, “Never mistake mere activity for accomplishment.” One useful method is to set a daily SAP: smallest achievable perfection. In this technique, you pick a single chunk that you can perfect—not just improve, not just “work on,” but get 100 percent consistently correct. For example, a tennis player might choose the service toss; a salesperson might choose the twenty-second pitch he’ll make to an important client. The point is to take the time to aim at a small, deɹned target, and then put all your effort toward hitting it. After all, you aren’t built to be transformed in a single day. You are built to improve little by little, connection by connection, rep by rep. As Wooden also said, “Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens—and when it happens, it lasts."

BREAK IT INTO CHUNKS: No matter what skill you are trying to master, everything can be broken down into smaller pieces. Simplification is key. For any element, write down less than 5 key points you need to perfect in order to master the skill. Too many key points will lead to overthinking. Keep it simple. Everyday, pick one of your key points to master during practice. Once improved, you can move on to the next key point. A lack of focus, leads to a lack of progress.