Welcome to the first newsletter of 2024.
I’m well rested and back with renewed vigour and focus to help you build your business and achieve your goals.
I hope you had great break and this year has kicked off in the best way possible.
Community Focus
Each week I’ll bring you organisations and experts doing great work to support entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders.
- I’ve listened a lot to The Soul of Enterprise; Business in the Knowledge Economy podcast and it’s never failed to gain an insight or strategy to grow your business. It’s particularly insightful on how to apply a subscription model to your business. You can listen to it here.
👋 Hi Reader, it’s Vaughan. Welcome to my newsletter where I share insights and frameworks for becoming a sharper innovator, design thinker, founder, and leader.
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In this week’s newsletter, we’ll cover how to apply deliberate practice to master any skill.
- The six steps of deliberate practice.
- How to apply deliberate practice to innovation.
If you find this helpful, please share it with your friends and colleagues. Let’s dive in.
Read time: 3.5 minutes
One fundamental aspect stands out in our pursuit of success and innovation: the mastery of skills. Inspired by the work of K. Anders Ericsson, whose groundbreaking insights are captured in the Harvard Business Review article “The Making of an Expert“, we understand how individuals can master anything and, in turn, drive innovation.
🧠 The Six Steps of Deliberate Practice
1) Motivation is the driving force
Motivation is the foundation upon which skill mastery is built. Ericsson’s early experiments highlighted the pivotal role of motivation in overcoming obstacles.
When selecting a skill for deliberate practice, choose something you are passionate about, ensuring that motivation helps drive you during challenging times.
2) Navigate using specific, realistic goals
Motivation needs direction; setting specific, realistic goals is the guiding star. More than vague aspirations will be required; deliberate practice thrives on well-defined, achievable steps.
Apply this principle to your skill development, creating a detailed plan that considers your current abilities and systematically pushes your boundaries toward meaningful improvement.
3) Discomfort: The Catalyst for Growth
Stagnation resides in the comfort zone. Continuous challenge is paramount to propel yourself toward mastery.
Ericsson emphasises that pushing beyond the comfort zone isn’t just about trying harder; it’s about trying differently.
Your goals should hover at the edge of your capabilities, prompting experimentation and breakthroughs.
“This is a fundamental truth about any sort of practice: If you never push yourself beyond your comfort zone, you will never improve.” – Anders Ericsson
4) The Pillars of Progress: Consistency and Persistence
Mastery is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency and persistence form the bedrock of improvement.
Ericsson’s research underscores the effectiveness of regular, focused practice sessions in various domains. Whether daily or semi-weekly, brief yet intense sessions maintain momentum and lead to significant skill enhancement.
5) Feedback: The Compass of Improvement
In the absence of feedback, improvement remains elusive. Ericsson emphasises that external or self-generated feedback is essential for identifying growth areas.
Engage in one-on-one coaching, mentorship, or self-assessment to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses accurately. This honest appraisal is the compass guiding you from mediocrity to mastery.
6) Recharge and Recover
Deliberate practice demands intense focus and effort, a finite resource that requires careful management.
Ericsson’s insights reveal the importance of recovery time — a crucial overlooked aspect. Whatever leisure activity works for you, offset the intensity of deliberate practice to prevent mental or physical fatigue.
This recuperation ensures sustained, high-quality skill development.
💪 Applying Mastery to Innovation
Now, let’s seamlessly integrate these principles into the field of innovation:
Cultivate Motivation for Innovation:
- Nurture a passion for innovative solutions within your team.
- Encourage a competitive spirit to drive breakthrough thinking.
Set Clear, Ambitious Innovation Goals:
- Define specific objectives for your innovative endeavours.
- Break down overarching innovation goals into actionable projects.
Embrace Discomfort in the Innovation Process:
- Challenge conventional thinking and embrace experimentation.
- Foster an environment where trying different approaches is celebrated.
Maintain Consistency in Innovative Practices:
- Establish regular innovation sessions to sustain momentum.
- Encourage persistence in facing challenges, knowing breakthroughs often follow sustained effort.
Foster a Culture of Constructive Feedback:
- Create avenues for open communication and feedback.
- Celebrate and learn from both successes and setbacks in the innovation journey.
Balance Innovation Intensity with Periods of Recovery:
- Recognise that innovative thinking demands mental effort.
- Provide time for team members to recharge and reflect, fostering creativity and sustained innovation.
⚡️ Call to Action
In conclusion, mastering anything, be it a skill or the art of innovation, requires a strategic and deliberate approach.
By integrating these principles into your journey, you can navigate the path to excellence, achieving mastery in your chosen skill and driving innovation to new heights.
Here’s to your pursuit of mastery and innovation! 🌟
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That’s all for today friends 🙌
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Thanks for being here,
Vaughan
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