The (edited) article below was found in Bottom Line/Personal (September 1, 1995)
Practice has always played a major role in improving the performances of athletes and musicians. New research shows that practicing can help us perform much, much better because it actually improves the way we think. The secret, as athletes and musicians have long known is how you practice and for how long.
For practice to have an impact on your work, you must have well-defined goals. Goals that are achievable through repetition and innovation.
Example: If a tennis player misses a backhand volley, it may be several matches before he/she has a chance to correct the same move. In the practice situation with a tennis coach, he can reproduce the situation repeatedly and experiment until he learns to refine his move and control the shot.
In other words, you must know what you’re doing wrong so you can do it right. Feedback helps, but ultimately you must develop a mental picture of what you’re trying to accomplish whether it is a basketball player’s two-hand jump shot, a pianist’s flawless glissando or a presentation for work. You must measure your performance against this mental standard and adjust your efforts accordingly.
Concentration. Some people practice mindlessly, doing the same thing over and over, hoping to get better as if through magic. True practice requires focused attention to identify what aspects you want to improve and to override old habits that lead to errors.
Example: When serious musicians practice, they have to concentrate on one specific element at a time [such as speed, control and phrasing]and keep the goal of the specific improvement in mind as they diagnose what is going wrong and learn to get it right...
Level of difficulty. A person¹s practice tasks must stretch him and tax the limits of his abilities‹or they won’t make him any better. On the other hand, setting your goals too high is demoralizing. Finding the right level of difficulty for effective practice may take some ingenuity. Model yourself after experts you admire. Once you master their approaches, try to add your own flair...
Knowing when to stop. Too much practice can hurt performance‹and can undermine motivation. When you can no longer muster the concentration that practice requires--stop. There’s good evidence that athletes and musicians who practice too much increase their risk of injury. And over extended periods of time, they may also develop depression and burnout. Athletes and musicians make deliberate efforts to rest and sleep so they are fully recovered before resuming practice the next day. It is important to maintain the balance between exertion and recuperation.
Plan for extra time. Improvement through practice requires the extended investment of extra time. Focus on a well-specified work activity‹one in which improvement is possible and important enough to justify the time...
Key question: Is the amount of extra time you¹ll put in worth the resulting benefit?
Identify others who are proficient at the skill you¹re trying to develop‹and learn from them. What you gain from participating vicariously and observing actively is the mental image of how the task is done‹which you can then apply to your own efforts.
Ask for feedback. When you ask for reactions to your work, you usually get positive or negative comments. What you really need is detailed, constructive feedback. Try to find people who will be supportive and provide detailed, specific information that will let you go back and do it better next time...
Find a mentor. Every serious musician and athlete has a coach...you must make an effort to find someone who has the skills you seek...someone who will give you reliable advice, instruction and feedback.
Important: To find a person who is willing to do this for you, you must define what you can offer in return. Sometimes, just listening carefully‹and following this guidance‹is enough. A lot of people feel that their knowledge and experience aren’t recognized. To receive respectful attention from a motivated student can be a powerful reward.
Have the right attitude. Insecurity makes it difficult for many people to practice their work skills. They find it painful to ask for feedback because they are embarrassed about taking longer than usual to do tasks and fearful of how the criticism will affect their egos.
Strategy: Remind yourself that your goal is to improve. Even if it takes two or three times as long to do it right, remember that you are striving for mastery. Small improvements look minute, but over time they lead to great improvements...and this contributes substantially to confidence.