It’s pretty hard NOT to get better at something if you do it 100 times.
Whether it’s nutrition, exercise, finances, relationships, sports, languages, or musical instruments…
It’s all the same. If you want to get better, practice.
Put in the reps.
No one just starts out from day 1 really really really really good at what they do! That comes from trying and failing and learning and slowly getting better over time.
When I first got into photography, it was really really hard and frustrating.
So much to learn, so much I didn’t understand, so much I didn’t even know that I didn’t know. But over time, I got better and now even when I’m snapping a selfie or a group photo I automatically think about lighting and background and composition.
When I started to take swimming seriously, I signed up for a masters swim squad and initially, every session felt like I was half drowning and choking and wanting to throw up.
But, over time, my fitness improved, my technique got better, and I started to really enjoy it.
When I tried rock climbing for the first time, it was incredibly scary and felt impossible that I’d ever make it to the top of some of those walls.
But, after just a few sessions, I felt so much more comfortable and confident.
Even weight lifting, which now feels like second nature for me, was once a completely foreign concept.
There were days where I would walk into the gym, have a mini panic attack before I even made it past the front desk and would go straight back home.
But now, the gym feels like my second home and it’s often where I go when I’m feeling stressed or anxious.
I know some people will look at the photos above and see a fit, healthy guy who is athletic and this all just comes easily to him. That’s why I want to remind you (or tell you if you don’t know much about me) that I wasn’t always that way.
I grew up my whole life unfit, unhealthy, and overweight. I had to learn from scratch how to build healthy habits and practice over and over and over and over and over again to get it right.
If you want to get better at something, practice.
Do it until it becomes second nature.
When you understand this, you can get really good at just about ANYTHING that you set your mind to.
- Want to be able to do a deadlift really well? Practice.
- Want to be able to play the piano really well? Practice.
- Want to be able to cook amazing food? Practice.
- Want to be able to be vulnerable and honest and appreciative to someone? Practice.
- Want to be able to eat 1 block of chocolate rather than the whole slab? Practice.
- Want to stand up for yourself? Practice.
- Want to be less angry and short-tempered? Practice.
- Want to be strong and fit and athletic? Practice.
Whatever you feel you aren’t good at YET, set a goal of actually doing it consistently and repeatedly 100 times. Watch how quickly you learn and improve.
On the other hand, if you DON’T want to get better, then let your doubts and fears and inadequacies get the better of you. Let them stop you from trying. Let that irrational fear of someone you don’t even know at the gym stop you from getting a good workout in. Let the fact that you can’t speak like Tony Robbins or Oprah stop you from giving a speech. Let the fact that you don’t look like a supermodel stop you from having pictures taken of yourself and creating amazing memories.
The biggest thing in our way of getting better is ourselves and not trying for long enough.
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