Today's Saying is Timeless

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 50 seconds

You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.

Progress isn’t magic - it’s repetition.

Every time you practice, you get better - even if you don’t feel it yet.

Here’s today’s visualised version of wisdom:

Like with inflating a balloon, it sometimes appears that our actions don’t have any impact.

It’s only once we repeat them a number of times that you can see a measurable difference.

Even though today’s quote was published nearly a century ago, it is just as true today as it was back in 1926:

Improvement doesn’t come in a single leap.

It comes in the daily choice to show up again, and again, and again.

Make your practice habitual and you increase your chances of excellence immeasurably.

Research across fields - from music to medicine to sports - consistently shows that practice, not innate ability, is the primary predictor of long-term success.

It’s why we still see the well-decorated footballer like Cristiano Ronaldo still practicing their shooting every training session.

It’s why the grammy-award winning Ed Sheeran still tries to pick up their guitar every day.

It’s why one of the most successful authors of our generation James Clear finds time each day to put pen to paper.

Deliberate practice rewires your brain, deepens skill, and builds confidence. Even small, repeated efforts create compound growth.

Here are 3 ways to embrace the power of practice:

1. Focus on consistency, not intensity. 

   A little every day beats a lot once in a while.

   Build momentum through frequency.

2. Detach from perfection. 

   You’re not supposed to be good at the beginning.

   You’re supposed to be learning.

3. Track your reps, not your results. 

   Celebrate the number of times you’ve shown up - this is in your control.

   Don’t measure things that you can’t influence.

Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:

• What skill, habit, or goal have I avoided because I’m not “good” at it yet?

• What would happen if I practiced it for just 10 minutes a day?

• Where in my life have I already improved through consistent effort?

Want to learn more about journaling? Join Journal Wiser today!

Today’s resource is a TED-Ed video with 14 million views: How to practice effectively… for just about anything by Annie Bosler and Don Greene.

This engaging video breaks down why practice is important and shares actionable tips that you can take your practice to the next level.

You can watch it here:

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Catch you in the next issue!

Thanks,
Michael