"Practice, practice, practice...because practice makes permanent." - Roger Millen, Ph.D., T'ai Chi instructor
When I was younger I was fascinated by magic. I got my first magic set at seven years old and quickly became the neighborhood magician, having shows in various garages and backyards. I watched the great professional magicians and was mesmerized by them. I heard one of these great masters describe now he learned and developed his trade.
He said, "I take what is totally unfamiliar and I work with it until it becomes familiar. I then take what has become familiar and I work with it until it becomes automatic. I then take what has become automatic and I work with it until it becomes beautiful. I then take what has become beautiful and I work with it until it becomes magical." I believe this is a powerful formula to life, as well as magic.
I went to a T'ai Chi workshop one weekend and the teacher asked us in the class, "Practice makes what?" The natural answer was "perfect", but he said, "Practice makes permanent"...very wise words. As I struggled through these simple T'ai Chi movements, I found my body resisting what was unfamiliar. I was reminded of how easy it is to quit or avoid the unfamiliar. Yet, if it is something that we really want, then perhaps the only way to achieve our goal is to go through the unfamiliar...and to follow the formula of the magician.
This T'ai Chi teacher said that he practiced this martial artistry regularly for ten years before it began to become automatic for him. So here is a question for you:
What have you given up on, or avoided all together, because it seemed to be too unfamiliar?
Remember, the last four letters of the word familiar spells "liar". So maybe the "familiar" path may, in fact, be a bit of a deception.
These are questions and issues I encourage you to look at.
Ken Donaldson has been based in Tampa Bay offering counseling, coaching, and educational programs since 1987. His REALationship Coaching programs empower people to have more successful lives, businesses and relationships by building a powerful relationship with themselves first. Visit his website at http://www.REALationshipCoach.com for more information and sign-up his free e-program Illuminations and Sparks of Brilliance. Ken is also the author of the upcoming book Marry YourSelf First!