Justin Foeppel

What does learning mean? What does proficiency mean? How do you know you are making progress toward mastery of a topic? These are simple questions, yes. However, in practice do you really know? You may be thinking ‘Sure, I know what these mean.’ What do they look like? You’re in luck, I have an experience to share with you that shows exactly what these concepts look like in practice.

This morning I was feeling sorry for myself. This week I lacked discipline. I stayed up late and woke up late rather than going to bed early and waking up early to work on projects that provide meaning to my life. When I fail to do in the moment what provides meaning in the future, I get down on myself. Does this also happen to you? I thought so. What can we do?

One example of a practice I complete is an ingratitude list. Whoa! Why an ingratitude list? Aren’t we supposed to be practicing gratitude? Yes, that’s the popular belief. Guess what? My brain is terrible at practicing gratitude. However, I have an abundance of ingratitude. I write it down. I ask for willingness to become grateful. Finally, I see the opportunity that this obstacle provides.

Time is up for my writing practice today so I will leave you with an example. I am ungrateful that it is such a long, arduous, process to change my behavior. God/spirit/universe/whatever help me be willing to be grateful for the challenge of changing my behavior. How can I be grateful? What opportunity does this source of ingratitude provide?….

“Crickets”

“Crickets”

“Crickets”

…I’m grateful for the persistence I learn when trying to accomplish something challenging. This persistence will be a useful skill throughout my life. I’m grateful for the sense of satisfaction that washes over me as I overcome challenges. What else? You get the idea.

Before I know it (and before you know it if you persist in practice), I don’t have to write this down anymore and I start to do it in my head as it’s happening. That’s how we know that we are starting to master something. It becomes a working part of the mind. Muscle memory.

Persist toward proficiency.

Justin Foeppel

P.S. Persistence must be on my mind a lot! I didn’t realize my Wednesday post was on the same topic.