Power of Practice

I bought my son a skateboarding magazine the other day as a special treat. He loves to skateboard and rollerblade, among all his other athletic endeavors. He read the magazine over for a few days and then one afternoon he brings me the magazine and says he wants to show me something reallly stupid.  He shows me a picture of a guy who is skateboarding on the ceiling of an archway.  My son went on and on about how stupid this was.

I am sure it was his way of relating to me by letting me know that he knew this was a “don’t do this at home kids” kind of skateboarding trick. But part of me felt a little sad that he was just labeling this trick as stupid and dismissing the idea of ever achieving it.  (Although I have to admit there was a maternal part of me saying….oh yes, stay safe, my love!!)

Then I asked him if he thought that guy just woke up one day and decided to scale the wall with his skateboard? My son said, "No Way!  Of course, not. It probably took years of practice!”  So, we had a familiar conversation about patience and practice. How you can do so much more than you ever think you are capable of by practice.

Imagine this as a metaphor for your business. Have you ever thought of a big idea and immediately dismissed it because you thought it was too big, unachievable, maybe even stupid? Is there a project or a direction in your business or your life that feels impossible from where you sit now?

What if you just took baby steps?  What if you just practiced today what you know and stretched just a little.  Practice tomorrow and stretch a little more.  And the next week, practice, take a little more risk……and next month, practice, and take another small step outside your comfort zone…

Next thing you know, you’ll be skateboarding on the ceiling!!

What's the view like from up there!!!??

Laura