If you're not sure if a diet is working, will you stick with it?
If you buy a detergent and you're not sure it delivers on the fresh pine scent you were promised on the late-night commercial, will you keep using it?
If you're not sure if the new top-of-the-line computer is going to be faster than the computer you bought eight years ago, are you going to spend the four grand on it?
The answer to all of these questions is probably no.
And so...you probably saw this one coming...
If you're not sure if your practicing is improving your skills, are you going to continue practicing?
Boom.
Here's the good news. Practicing is easier to tweak and assess than all of the other examples.
So often, students leave a practice session having no idea what they improved on, or if they improved at all. "It's better" just isn't specific enough.
I often compare practicing to those "before and after" commercials for diets or training programs.
(An aside...I don't think it's the same person on the "after" side.
And it also irks me that the marketers use dull colors and a frowny face for the "before" person and a happy-faced "after" visual in bright, lovely colors. I think it should be regulation that both pictures have the same, happy smile on their face in bright colors for a proper comparison.
Thus, eliminating all other variables that might manipulate my perception, confirming that the "after" person has indeed lost the 100 pounds and I should consider doing the same. Rant over.)
When we leave a practice session, it should be just like one of those commercials.
"Before practicing, I couldn't ________. Now I can!"
or
"I had trouble with _________ before practicing. After practicing, I can do it!"
It doesn't have to be a monumental "after." But, it has to be something. Even if it's something like:
"After practicing, I have a better idea of what I need to work on. Now, I won't have a breakdown at the idea of practicing tomorrow!"
If you walk away from a practice session feeling like you accomplished nothing, that's okay too. It's a sign that you need to tweak your practicing so that you do accomplish something tangible tomorrow.
Set goals and walk away from every session knowing you're at least 1% better. More importantly, why you are at least 1% better.
Over time, it's almost a guarantee you will become the bright-colored, happy-faced person on the "after" side.