Practice Makes Perfect

Have you ever felt invisible? Although attracting attention is something I come by naturally, even I have those moments. So I just go with it … rest and recharge, or maybe go meet new people, change something up.

I read an article that says pessimists tend toward inaction. They sit back and wait. Apparently I’m not a pessimist.

What do you come by naturally?

Playing piano is another one of my things. When that 8am on a Sunday sound check comes, I’m not always fully functional. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone said they could see smoke rising as my brain struggles to get started. Give me enough Neuro and I’m always good by the 9am service, though. The ladies in the kitchen can vouch for me that I’m often in there about 8:30 mixing up my bottle of awesome. The brain connecting to the fingers is important, because for me an F#m7 chord is not E-F#-A-C#, it’s this:

That comes via the grace of God and many years of practice. And the ability to jump on stage for second service with no rehearsal and barely a sound check comes from hours of practice with the same group of people. (Not that that happened recently or anything …)

What are you good at? Do you practice it? Should you? Have you practiced it enough?

It’s funny. Being in a “behavior change” business, I sometimes see people trying something new … and then – despite being really good at it – they will quit at the first tiny little bump in the road.

Do I ever hit the wrong note in front of several hundred people? All the time.

Does the worship leader ever throw in an extra chorus? Sure, we just go with it and act like it was planned. We’re professionals. Unpaid, but we’re professionals. And maybe it looks like the PowerPoint guy’s fault. ;-)

Do I ever eat anything unhealthy or eat too much? Yep.

Do I ever blow off a workout that I really ought to do? Yep.

It’s not about being perfect, it’s about getting better. And using the talents and gifts God gave you to help others.

Practice makes perfect. Or close enough.