Always Have Your Sleeves Rolled Up

“The future is now. Roll up your sleeves and let your passion flow. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.”  — Bruce Springsteen

The act of rolling up your sleeves has traditionally meant getting them out of the way so you can dive into a project with your hands. The ability to do this is critical as life requires skill to flourish. This isn’t only for yourself; people want to learn from those with hands-on experience and a track record of success. No one wants someone who only watched a video on the subject. That said, we would argue you should always have your sleeves rolled up.

“Practice makes perfect” — a phrase parents often annoyingly throw at you during your entire childhood on a plethora of items. Though there is truth behind it, as the only way to become an expert is to spend time improving in an activity. Studies support this, as evidence consistently shows experts are made, not born¹. It can be easy to point at someone’s ability and proclaim they were naturally born with the talent, which might give them a head start, but it doesn’t take them the rest of the way. Analysis of expert performance points to talent being the result of intense practice extended across a minimum of 10 years². Certainly, there can be some genetic benefits such as height and weight for certain activities, but that will only get you so far. The focus on improving your skillset is what gives you the confidence and skill to roll up your sleeves and dive in.

Improving at anything requires time spent doing that activity. You can read one thousand How-To’s, but it won’t improve your piano playing or your golf swing. You have to roll up your sleeves and practice the activity daily. Look for coaches and mentors along the way who can help. Even after achieving mastery, continuing to be hands on is essential to keeping your skills sharp. So get to it.

Action: Pick a skill you want to improve upon, then implement a daily plan to work towards mastery.

Further Reading:

1. The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance
2. The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance