Practice, Practice, Practice

I heard this “practice, practice, practice” so often over the years from my friend, Justin Stone, that it reminded me of an old saying: practice makes perfect. Closer examination reveals that only perfect practice makes perfect, which actually means that if one wants to get the most benefit from his or her effort, the practice must be as flawless as possible.

Think about music, sports, cooking or any other skill. Professionals in music (vocalists for pop, opera and country) have teachers who coach them toward a perfect practice. Baseball players have many coaches (batting, fielding and pitching) who help them daily to realize their potential. Tennis players travel with coaches who help them in their daily practice sessions to achieve their desired goals.

If it makes sense for these activities, why there is some resistance to T’ai Chi Chih practice with coaching? I want the most benefit from my time and effort and welcome coaching during practice regardless of the activity. Why waste my time on anything less? Perhaps if I want to attend practice more for socializing, I might be better served at Starbucks, sitting comfortably and enjoying coffee with friends.