The Never-Ending Chase for Results
Many athletes get stuck in the never ending chase for results without realizing that it is actually gradual progress which leads us to our goals. It is understandable that “progress” may not be the most attractive part of development and its effects may not provide us with instant gratification. However, progress is necessary as it is our measuring tool for learning, understanding, and improvement.
Why Progress Matters
It is progress which allows us to learn, consolidate, and find higher grounds for increased level of performance. Although when finding ourselves within the process of progression, it can at times feel frustrating and rather slow. It is often that athletes will mention things such as “I feel stuck” or “I feel like I am getting worse”. If this is something that you have felt or have said to yourself, let me be the first person to tell you that you are very close to finding a new level of performance. You may be asking yourself how that can be possible when these moments feel so incredibly defeating. Let me explain.
The Four Stages of Progression
Progression works in four main stages: Acquisition or learning, practice, mastery, and automation.
1. Acquisition (Learning a New Skill)
The Acquisition or learning a new skill will be where we often see the biggest or quickest jump in progression due to its novelty.
2. Practice (Repetition and Refinement)
We then enter the practice stage, where we begin to try and exercise this skill over and over again.
3. Mastery (The Most Frustrating Stage)
As we begin to get better at this skill we then enter the mastery phase of progression which often is the most frustrating. Within this stage we look to become effective and efficient at utilizing this skill. It is at this moment where we will see progression look much like the pulse on a heart monitor. We will experience frequent moments of excitement and optimism followed by difficult moments where we feel that are just not making progress. The mastery phase is the most important section of progression, as well as the longest. Stick through this stage, keep practising, keep exercising these new skills and keep believing that you are on the right track, because YOU ARE!
4. Automation (Mastery in Action)
Last but not least our last stage is automation, which is the desired result of being able to use this skill at the right moments, consistently and effectively.
Embracing the Process
Progress can be slow, ugly, boring, and often times very testing. I encourage you all to be patient as both physical and mental skill development is a long term process. With every step you will uncover a higher level, and with every mastered skill you will get a step closer to being able to achieve your end goal.
Final Thoughts: Discipline Over Speed
Just remember, it is not speed that wins the marathon of development but in fact, it is discipline and consistency which will get us to the finish line.
If you’re ready to take control of your progress and push past mental barriers, our team at Mindset First is here to help. Work with our mental performance consultants to develop the discipline, resilience, and confidence needed to reach your highest potential. Take the next step in your journey let’s unlock your best performance together!