Tradewa

Every day it gets a little easier

Bojack

It's a bit late for me to realize the level of importance of consistent practice. Practice is by far the most significant factor in gaining skills. It's not talent, it's not genetics, it's practice and it has something to do with how human body and brain works.

People often think that practice (or the impact of it) only lasts during the practice itself, for example, you only learn to hit a tennis ball with a correct angle during your tennis practice, or you only learn how much power you need to shoot a 3 point in basketball during your practice. However, learning happens much longer than that, and once again, it has something to do with how human body and brain works.

Human body and brain is so adaptive and accommodating towards one's habit it changes its shape and size to support what one's doing. Ever heard about muscle memory? It's real. Moreover, the change in one's body and brain does not only happen behind the curtain without but you can actually feel it the result, especially in physical activities.

In the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, he explains that our brain "learns" and "sharpen" every activity we did during the day. Our brain adjust its neurons to ease up the skills we learn for example a child learning to ride a bicycle or learning a piano. Tomorrow morning, this child will be a little bit better in cycling and playing a piano.

Not only exclusive to brain, our body (and muscle) also change its shape and size to support physical activity, as you can see from someone starting to lift weights. My most recent experience with this is I really notice the physical improvement after running consistently in the past two weeks. At my first attempt I was gasping for air running for 1.85km with 8:58/km pace. Just today, I can run for 3.31km with 8:06/km pace and it feels easier.

Before it gets too long and violate my principles for this blog, the main message I want to share is whatever it is you want to do, whatever skills you want to be good at, public speaking, piano, programming, you better just start, and you just have to do it everyday and it will be easier day by day.