The Deep Practice Cell

Chapter Summary

Every thought, movement, action - you name it - is the result of electrical impulses sent through a chain of neurons, that then send the message onto the needed recipient, ex. muscles. Very recently the discovery of myelin was made, and scientists can now understand more fully the development of skill in an individual. Myelin acts as an insulator that helps neurons to transfer the information faster and more accurately. Deep practice tells the body to wrap more myelin around neurons. The more myelin, the better the skill. It does, however, take time to make and wrap the myelin around those cells. The more time we spend in deep, or deliberate, practice, the more insulation we are making. There is no limit.

Key Concepts

We must insulate our neurons in order to make our responses to the brains electrical impulses faster and more accurate. (sorry for the run-on ish sentence.) The more we use the same specific chain of synapses and neurons, the stronger they become. 

Key Terms

Automaticity.
Deliberate Practice.
Neurons.

Making Connections

I love singing, but that isn't enough. I have to practice it often, and do it the right way. When I practice, I can be much more effective if I focus on one thing at a time and really build that muscle memory for that specific ability.