2013-04 - The importance of repeating the same thing

An action is a thought that manifests itself.

A small gesture denounces us, so we have to make everything perfect, think about the details, learn the technique so that it becomes intuitive.

Intuition has nothing to do with routine but rather with a state of spirit that lies beyond technique.

So, after practicing a lot, we no longer think about all the necessary movements: they become part of our very existence. But for this to happen, you have to train and repeat.

And as if that were not enough, you have to repeat and train.

Watch a good blacksmith working the steel. To the untrained eye he is repeating the same hammer blows over and over again.

But those who know the importance of training know that each time the hammer is raised and then lowered, the intensity of the blow is different. The hand repeats the same gesture but as it approaches the iron it knows whether to touch it harder or softer.

Look at the windmill. Whoever sees its vanes just once imagines that it always turns with the same speed, always repeating the same movement. But those who know windmills know that they are conditioned to the wind and change their direction whenever necessary.

The hand of the ironsmith was trained after the gesture of hammering was repeated thousands of times.

Windmill vanes can move fast after the wind has blown a lot and polished their gears.

The archer lets many an arrow pass far from the target because he knows that he will only learn the importance of the bow, posture, the string and the target after he repeats his gestures thousands of times without being afraid of making a mistake.

Training is NOT routine. It is essential 

~ Paulo Coelho
==========
" You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset."

~ Tom Hopkins
==========