Doctors practice medicine, Lawyers practice law, Accountants practice finance, and all of us have the opportunity to practice whatever it is that we each do.
When working as a hospital CEO one of my thoughtful board members once shared some useful coaching with me. He said Terry, do not treat each day too seriously because everything you do is just practice. He went on to explain that each day is filled with challenge and it is what we have done in prior periods that will allow us to perform our duties today most effectively.
In other words, he emphasized that it is our past practice, our past lessons that get us through each new day. The daily goal, according to my mentor, should not be about how well we will perform, but how well we will practice.
My board member went on to emphasize that if we put less pressure on ourselves for performing, and allow ourselves to absorb the lessons of each day, we can practice life continuously, learning and growing from our experiences. He built a case that by following a pattern of practice, our performance will also improve.
While it seems short-sighted to expect that practice alone should be our goal, it really does take the pressure off the daily grind and replaces it with the benefit of better learning. Think of the ease of practicing compared to the stress of performing. His gem has changed the pace and focus of my daily routine.
Wishing you peace and success with your “practice” today.