Sports: Do you want to make a new team? Set a personal record? Hit more free-throws? Music: Do you want to increase your vocal range? Get a recording contract? Play “The Flight of the Bumblebee?” Intellectual: Do you want to get straight A’s next semester? Write your first novel? Get into medical school?
Sports: Work on your opposite foot, learn a new move or technique, or try a new position. Music: Develop scales and chords you don’t know well, play at a different tempo than usual, or learn a song in a genre you don’t normally play. Intellectual: Take a class in a different subject then normal, write essays on topics that require research, and push beyond the minimum for projects and assignments.
Sports: Don’t focus on the final score in practice, focus on your technique. Are you getting stronger? Did you connect more passes than normal? Were you in the proper position to help your team? Music: Focus on playing everything perfectly. Even if you have to slow down, focus on getting everything right and note where you make mistakes Intellectual: Always check your work, and find out where you made a mistake if you get the wrong answer.
Sports: If you are struggling to make a lay-up in basketball, stop and practice each step separately: dribbling at speed, jumping towards the hoop without stopping, and placing the basketball. Music: Don’t try to tackle difficult songs all at once. Stop and practice 2-3 seconds at a time. Once you get those few seconds down, move on to the next few seconds. Intellectual: Don’t approach a test trying to learn everything at once. Do easy practice problems first, then add more complex ideas, like starting with binomials before moving on to polynomials.
Sports: Watching filmed copies of the game and talking to coaches will help you quickly diagnose problems and find ways to fix them. Music: When possible, record yourself playing. As you play it back, listen in for mistakes that you might have missed before. Intellectual: Whenever you do not understand why got a problem wrong or got a bad grade, ask someone to explain it to you so you don’t make the same mistake twice.
Sports: Wear the proper equipment (shoes, clothes, pads, etc. ) when you practice so you are used to them when you get in a game. Music: Avoid things like slouching or laying down when you practice – if you wouldn’t do it on stage, don’t do it at home. Intellectual: Playing music or watching TV while you study, write, or do research distracts you from learning effectively.
Sports: If you can’t practice one day, try to get some exercise (run, bike, swim, etc. ) in if you can. Music: At the very least, run through your scales and 2-3 practice songs to keep practicing your speed and technique. Intellectual: Make flashcards and review them daily when you do not have time to study.
Sports: Schedule practices 3-5 days a week, using extra days for exercise. Set aside one day a week for rest and recovery. Music: Practice your instrument daily, aiming to work at least 1 hour each day. Intellectual: It is much easier to learn something when you study each day as opposed to all at once the night before a test. Make a habit of practicing writing or studying daily, even if it is only for a short while. [5] X Research source
Sports: Warm up for 15 minutes, work on skill drills (passing, shooting, etc. ) for 20-30 minutes, play scrimmages or game-like situations for 20-30 minutes, then cool down with stretching for 10-15 minutes. Music: Warm up for 10 minutes with scales, then practice your songs, chords, or new techniques. End with a review of old songs you need to know or have fun practicing. Intellectual: Start with the most difficult subject first, then easier subjects later on. [7] X Research source
Sports: Exercise for an hour, then take 5-10 minutes off to rehydrate, stretch, and relax before returning to exercise. Limit your workouts to no more than 5 hours a day. Music: For younger kids, try practicing for 20-30 minutes at a time, allowing them to relax in between to avoid burning out. Intellectual: Study for at least an hour, then take a break. Go for a short walk, stretch, or listen to music for a few minutes to refresh your brain and body.
Sports: Watch game tape or professional athletes, stretch, and think or read about strategy. Music: Work on reading music, especially any new songs you need to learn. Listen to other musicians playing your songs if possible. Intellectual: Always have a notepad and pen available to jot down any ideas as they come, and read from a variety of fields for inspiration.
