The Difference Between “Trying” and “Doing” is Practice

What does it take for a little kid to learn how to ride a bike?  I believe it is new learning and practice.  Step by step and lots of practice.

I remember my mom helping me study for an exam when I was a kid and she would make me go through the materials over and over and over again.  Over and over and over again.    The repetition locked in the new learning.   And, if I studied with my mom, I scored well on my exam.

There are the things that we want in life, things that we hate, and the things that we need to do.  But, we always end up doing our desired activity once or twice and then return to our normal activities saying; “I tried”.

When we get hired at work, we are hired because we are an expert in our given area, whether that’s accounting or computers.  However, we did not suddenly roll out bed being an expert in accounting or computers.  There was a process that we went through in becoming that expert that we get paid for.  At work is it is so much easier to secretly learn, as “failure” is not an option.  Whatever it is, we will work through it, through the pains, to get the job done.

At home, we have conflicting responsibilities and priorities, which allows us to slip away from what we really want to do or get away from.  But think about it – we have all probably wanted to lose weight.  We go on a diet for a week or two or a day or two and then suddenly this month just happens to be the month where everyone has their birthdays at the office.  It would have been rude to not eat that cake wouldn’t it?

The point is: the difference between trying and doing is practice.  Just because you ate that cake at lunch doesn’t mean you failed at your diet. You now have to practice eating healthy again.  Just because that little kid fell off the bike doesn’t mean he can’t ride it.  He needs to practice and to learn how to ride it.  Just because I skimmed the chapter, didn’t mean I was ready to be tested on it.

One tiny thing that you can do each day to promote the activity you are looking for will set you on your path to success.  Practice helps you employ the learning that is so desired.  One tiny thing will help you get there: Practice!

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