Luke Shepherd TC Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter Summary: Deep practice operates by 3 rules: Chunking, repeating, and feeling. Chunking means that you break down something complex into it's component parts, it's fundaments, and group those fundaments into patterns. It's the "one step at a time" part of deep practice. Through chunking, we're able to break something down into it's smallest components as well as string those pieces together to absorb the entire action as a whole, a detailed conceptual understanding of the task. Repetition is essential and there is no other subsitute for actually doing the task and firing the circuits required repeadtedly; however, once you leave the sweet spot or the deep practice zone, practice doesn't just become pointless, it becomes harmful. Repetition should be focused on repeatedly practicing in the right way, not just logging hours. You can become really good at being bad by practicing poorly. Feeling refers to learning to feel what deep practice feels like. Focus and struggle are feelings involved with deep practice. Struggle doesn't refer to simply stumbling, rather, struggling refers to struggling after a particular target (pick a target, reach for it, evaluate the gap between the target and the reach, rinse and repeat)
Key Concept: Simply repeating the same activity over and over and logging hours doing something doesn't translate into skill. Beyond chunking an activity into it's roots and parts and feeling for the right amount of struggle and focus involved in deep practice you have to be vigilant enough to repeatedly practice in that sweet spot and cease practice if it's not productive.
Key Terms: Chunking
Deep Practice Repetition
Focused Struggle
Making Connections: I need to be careful to not let practice become easy or routine. I've sat at the piano before and said to myself, "I'm going to memorize this song in the next hour." and done so without utilizing any of the tools necessary for deep, meaningful practice. NO MORE. Anything learned that way won't be very high quality... I must be PATIENT enough to break down the pieces I'm working on into smaller chunks and to practice them in different ways in order to gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the piece. With that understanding and deeper practice I'll not only memorize faster but more meaningfully as well and it will result in higher quality performance practice.