One of the basic concepts in a book by John Elliot titled “Overachievement” is the idea that training is practice, the performance is auto-pilot.
As I went for a run the other day I thought about this notion of training as practice and performance as auto-pilot and what it means for more than just my training run and subsequent race next month.
By ‘performance’ what we’re really talking about is any activitiy where you’ve put in the time and now it’s time to come up with the goods. It could be a race, a game, a presentation, a final exam, a project or report. Anything.
When we are in training mode we are paying attention to nuance, all the things we are learning or doing to get from point A to point B successfully. For me, I focused on my pace checking my watch regularly to make sure I wasn’t going too fast or too slow. I focused on my breathing, what did it feel like at that pace? How did my legs feel? Could I keep at this for awhile longer? I just kept checking in for 3 miles.
Every time I go for a run, it’s basically the same thing. What am I doing, how am I doing.
Marketing is the same.
When we start out we are closely monitoring every word we use, is it the right word? We monitor the layout of our project and the images we use. We edit and edit and edit. We check the offer, is it too much or not enough? Does our headline get attention or will it fall flat? Are we telling the right story? We go back and check out customer demographics and then we check our message again. We constantly monitor.
But then race day comes. At this point no amount of checking in is gonna help me do any better. It is time to go on auto-pilot. I stop thinking about pace and breathing, I just run. I just do it. I just…. go. I’ve given my brain enough information over the training period that it no longer needs me. I relax and just enjoy myself. And… it works. I’m happy with my race time, I’m still relaxed and I had a good time.
Practice makes perfect.
Marketing is the same.
After several attempts at various marketing campaigns, after all the monitoring and checking, after all the research and writing, it too will become an auto-pilot activity. It will get easier because you’ve given your brain, through practice, all the information it needs to be successful.
So when the big day comes, you’ll relax and realize how easy it has all become.
So keep at it. That’s what Michael Jordan did, basket after basket.
One of the basic concepts in a book by John Elliot titled “OverAchievement” is the idea that training is practice, the performance is auto-pilot.
As I went for a run the other day I thought about this notion of training as practice and performance as auto-pilot and what it means for more than just my training run and subsequent race next month.
By ‘performance’ what we’re really talking about is any activitiy where you’ve put in the time and now it’s time to come up with the goods. It could be a race, a game, a presentation, a final exam, a project or report. Anything.
When we are in training mode we are paying attention to nuance, all the things we are learning or doing to get from point A to point B successfully. For me, I focused on my pace checking my watch regularly to make sure I wasn’t going too fast or too slow. I focused on my breathing, what did it feel like at that pace? How did my legs feel? Could I keep at this for awhile longer? I just kept checking in for 3 miles.
Every time I go for a run, it’s basically the same thing. What am I doing, how am I doing.
Marketing is the same.
When we start out we are closely monitoring every word we use, is it the right word? We monitor the layout of our project and the images we use. We edit and edit and edit. We check the offer, is it too much or not enough? Does our headline get attention or will it fall flat? Are we telling the right story? We go back and check out customer demographics and then we check our message again. We constantly monitor.
But then race day comes. At this point no amount of checking in is gonna help me do any better. It is time to go on auto-pilot. I stop thinking about pace and breathing, I just run. I just do it. I just…. go. I’ve given my brain enough information over the training period that it no longer needs me. I relax and just enjoy myself. And… it works. I’m happy with my race time, I’m still relaxed and I had a good time.
Practice makes perfect.
Marketing is the same.
After several attempts at various marketing campaigns, after all the monitoring and checking, after all the research and writing, it too will become an auto-pilot activity. It will get easier because you’ve given your brain, through practice, all the information it needs to be successful.
So when the big day comes, you’ll relax and realize how easy it has all become.
So keep at it. That’s what Michael Jordan did, basket after basket.
