Professionals Practice Until They Can't Get It Wrong

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I spent almost 1,000 hours playing my favorite game last year. This year it’s been closer to 10 :)

I spent almost 1,000 hours playing my favorite game last year. This year it’s been closer to 10 :)

Its a strategic card game called Magic: The Gathering. I love it, but the 2+ hours a day I put into my game in 2019 was more than fun.

It was practice and preparation for major events in Cape Town, Stockholm, Liverpool and Barcelona.

It started with a 2nd place at SA Nationals which got me into the team that would play at the World Cup in Spain.

During the year we faced off against top professionals including former and current world champions.

The experience taught me a lot about how professionals approach practice and tools:

Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.

Amateurs stress about getting the right tools. Professionals concentrate on mastering the basics of how to use the tools.

Turns out some cliches are more true than others:

A good worker doesn’t blame the tools and practice might not make you perfect but it can make you more professional.

#practice #tools
#amateurs #professionals