Practice makes perfect.
We all have heard this phrase one time or another. The definition of “practice” is to perform an activity or a skill
repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s
proficiency. As a musician, I spend hours practicing my instrument. I do
this to become better at my art, to be more confident in a certain
piece that I am playing, and to strive for excellence every single time I
play the organ. However, with all of that practice, my art will never
be perfect because I am human. So what does the phrase “practice makes
perfect” actually mean since we can never be perfect?
In
the definition of the word “practice”, it says to perform something
repeatedly or regularly. The word that pops in my head when I hear that
is consistency. Sometimes we want things to change or we want to grow in
a certain area, but if we don’t work on something regularly or
consistently, we won’t ever reach the “perfect” part of practice. We
often try to do something for a couple of days, then, bam, life slams in
the way and we give up because nothing is changing (or so we think).
To
not give up, we have to always see the big picture, the goal, or the
end result that we so desperately want. This desire will give you the
aspiration to keep working, keep practicing and making whatever you want
to change consistent in your life. There always has to be a goal when
you practice. Once you reach that goal, you find another one. In
reaching that first goal, you discover and attain a new level. You then
see a new perspective, find a brand new goal, and strive to reach yet
another milestone. The apostle Paul wrote about goals and pressing on in
his letter to the Philippians. Chapter 3, verses 12 and 14 state, “Not
that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made
perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took
hold of me. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which
God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
What
in your life needs practice or a new goal this year? Or do you need
more consistency in your practice to reach that particular goal? Most of
the year still lies out in front of us with a numerous amount of days
to strive for better consistency, better practice in anything in life –
physical, spiritual, mental, or emotional. Let’s not give up that life
can be better but strive toward excellence and being made “perfect” with
each and every day of our lives.
