Actually, I believe “Practice makes permanent” is more accurate.
Practicing with the aim to improve means practicing with presence each time.
presence
Leaf Me Alone*
Cacophony reigns
Second to last day of school
Silence beckons me
*Just being funny. I actually had a great day with my students. But they were loud.
The Desert Speaks
Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness.
Eckhart Tolle
Commonly Kept
ornery goldfish
in search of the next nibble
never satisfied
5,000 Hours
Malcolm Gladwell estimates it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to be world class at a skill.
But a new study destroys that rule.
In any case, we’ve estimated that with regular practice, rehearsals, competitions and school orchestra, the girls have at least 5,000 of deliberate practice under their belt.
In nearly nine years of playing, the girls have not once said they want to quit. I attribute that to the fact that they only play violin – they do not do any other extracurriculars. The upsides of “being good” at something are: self-confidence, self-discipline and optimism!
Connect to Something Big*
*From Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog: Find a Way To Connect To Something Big— Marcus Aurelius would look up at the stars and imagine himself running alongside them, he’d see them for their timelessness and infiniteness. Try that tonight or early in the morning and try to make it a daily practice. A glance at the beautiful expanse of the sky is an antidote to the nagging pettiness of earthly concerns, of our dreams of immortality or fame. But you can find this connection from many sources: A poem. A view from the top floor. A barefoot walk across the grass. A few minutes in a church pew. Just find something bigger than yourself and get in touch with it every single day.
Put the Day Up for Review*
From Ryan Holiday’s blog “13 Habits to Try to do Every Day”
#11: [*] Put The Day Up For Review — We prepared in the morning, now we reflect in the evening. The best way to improve is to review. So, each evening you should, like Seneca did, examine your day and your actions.
The question should be: Did I follow my plans for the day? Was I prepared enough? What could I do better? What have I learned that will help me tomorrow?
I write make a list of tasks (aligned with my goal(s)) on an index card daily. A quick way to review is to check my list. Did I get them all done? And then reflect on how I spent my time. I’ve definitely been checking news too much. Red4Ed affects me directly, so I check to see Ducey’s reaction. But then I fall down the rabbit hole and read irrelevant “news.” Reflecting this way helps me get back on track the next day.
Thanks to the Good and Bad*
First of all, sushi. Definitely a good thing!
*From Ryan Holiday’s blog, Thought Catalog:
[*] Say Thanks—To The Good and Bad — The Stoics saw gratitude as a kind of medicine, that saying “Thank you” for every experience was the key to mental health. “Convince yourself that everything is the gift of the gods,” was how Marcus Aurelius put it, “that things are good and always will be.” Say thanks to a rude person. Say thanks to a bungled project. Say thanks to a delayed package. Why? Because for starters it may have just saved you from something far worse, but mostly because you have no choice in the matter.
Epictetus has said that every situation has two handles: Which are you going to decide to hold onto? The anger or the appreciation? The one of resentment or of thanks?
Seize the Alive Time*
Ryan Holiday recommends seizing the “alive time.” You know, the moment in front of you – the only one that counts. Look into the eyes of the person speaking to you, don’t check your phone when at lunch with others.
Alive time.
“Face fears. Reach out and connect with someone. Do something you’ve been putting off. Expose ourselves to sunlight and nature. Be still and empty. Prepare for what lies ahead. Or just live because who knows how much time we have left.”
Ryan Holiday
Today, educators from all over Arizona are marching from Chase Field to the Capitol. We are working to create change. Change is uncomfortable. It’s not easy. But it’s necessary and unavoidable.
I march for Lily, who wants to be a teacher someday.
I march for my students, who deserve resources to learn and become critical thinkers and productive adults in our society.
I march for myself and my peers who deserve to have resources to get our jobs done and to feed our families.
I march for education which is the only antidote to discrimination, violence and inhumanity.
*9th Habit from From Ryan Holiday’s blog “13 Habits You Should Adopt Every Single Day” (Thought Catalog)
Think About Death*
*From Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog
Kismet 