It’s All About Practice

                             It is of no profit to have learned well, if you do not do well.
                                                                                                  --Publilius Syrus

Practice is what we do to achieve proficiency and mastery in something. Practice helps us reach our goals, and at the level of mastery practice becomes an end in itself—practice for its own sake. Legendary musicians and athletes—Yo-Yo Ma and Tiger Woods, for example—are legendary in their practice. They spend numerous hours of deliberate, focused effort preparing for their performances. They are self-disciplined and continuously learning; ultimately, they are masters in their fields because they work at it and find enjoyment in the practice itself.

The journey of personal mastery through mindfulness is also best approached as a practice. However, it is important to make a distinction about the word practice used as a verb (practice your violin and you will make it to Carnegie Hall) and used as a noun (I have a mindfulness practice). As George Leonard, author of Mastery notes, “For one who is on the master’s journey [practice] is best conceived of as a noun, not something you do, but something you have, something you are. Practice is the path upon which you travel, just that.”

Mindfulness is about mental training. We are in the moment with our thoughts and feelings, gaining insights into ourselves and others. There is rigor and exertion involved, so it needs to be backed up with commitment, passion, and purpose. Otherwise, why bother? Mindfulness practice deepens our learning and helps us develop agility and flow in our actions, which are critical for us as leaders in managing the numerous and continuous demands in our organizations.

We practice mindfulness to become more skilled and effective leaders; we practice mindfulness to become more of who we are.

                                            Practice is the best of all instructors.
                                                                              --Publilius Syrus

Next Blog Posting: Self-Observation: The Foundation of Personal Mastery

To learn more, please attend the NNJ-ASTD Professional Development Workshop on May 20^th—
Mindful Leadership: Personal Mastery in Challenging Times, presented by Ken Giglio.

Register at http://www.nnjastd.org/node/472/#click

For more information on Mindful Leadership, please visit our website www.mindful-leaders.com.