There was an intriguing post on Facebook about ballet dancers keeping a journal recording their feelings, experiences and thoughts. I know many people keep a diary which is a similar idea. But what interested me about this was: Why journaling? Do you use paper and pen, word document or an App? Is it private enough? Writing is a tiring activity. To put words down on paper or in a document or wherever which truly express what you're feeling and thinking isn't easy and is time consuming. If you're doing an activity such as dance or sport there's little time for reflection that doesn't feed directly back into the activity.
So, for instance, say your forehand isn't working. Do you journal about it? Or do you get out on to the practice court and work on it? Or, like me, revise the technique of a forehand then hit the practice courts? How I feel about my forehand breaking down isn't really relevant.
Similarly, if my pirouette doesn't work, I do more of them focusing on technique.
The same applies to playing an instrument. Your practice isn't perfect every time. The piece you're studying improves with practice, not writing down feelings or thoughts about it, because, much as that may help, it won't improve muscle memory and that's what counts.
Having said that, I'm not criticising those who do journal their thoughts and emotions about how things are going on court or on stage. Far from it! If it helps, go for it. It's just that practical skills require practice. I would never have managed to learn the Saint Saens Cello Concerto way back at the age of 11 if I hadn't just sat down and practised at least 3 hours a day. Which, incidentally, I thoroughly enjoyed even though it was hard work. My mother was there encouraging me and playing the piano to ensure I stayed in tune. If I had had to write down how I felt it would have meant time spent away from the cello. I was better off practising. This doesn't mean you practise thoughtlessly or hit a forehand without preparation but progress is made by training the muscles to respond correctly. And that takes practice.
I remember someone saying how Steffi Graf went out on to the practice courts after a match, whether she won or lost the match, to practise some more. I was very struck by that. I think it gives you equilibrium. You become less concerned about how you played or how a performance went if you treat the positive and negative outcomes the same way. Go, practise. A similar example is Nadal's uncle who discouraged Rafa from celebrating wins for possibly the same reason. It sounds unnecessarily tough but it keeps things in perspective. You can always improve. I think that's one of the wonderful things about doing something practical and that is you can always better yourself. Go for your Personal Best. Or even be better than others.
The improvement that happens when you practise with a focus on improving gives you great satisfaction which makes you feel better about yourself and the activity, be it ballet or playing the cello or hitting a tennis ball over a net.
Academia doesn't quite work like that. Thus far, I've written five academic books but I don't think one of them stands out as better than the rest. Equally, the fifth book is not better than the other four. They are all of the same standard written in an academic style. This is why giving prizes for academic papers/books is a nonsense. How do you make the call that one paper is better than another? It's too subjective. But if I run a certain distance in nine seconds and the following day in eight seconds I not only feel great satisfaction but also have achieved a PB. Just as if, say, I land four pirouettes one day but the following day six, I feel great satisfaction and a sense of achievement. And even if I fail to do better the next day never mind I'll try again the following day. I have a short term goal.
However, at the end of the day, do what suits you best and works for you. But practice makes perfect has something to say for it.
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