Morning Minute – 8.12.25
“You Can’t Use What You Know!”
(You can only use what you practice)
In a recent Morning Minute, “How Do People Learn,” I shared the five ways people learn: hearing, seeing, doing, reading, and writing. Today’s message is for professionals who strive to be the very best in their chosen occupation.
Knowledge is of little value unless you put it into action. Let’s look at a few examples:
Medicine: A medical student may learn how to treat and close a wound in class. But to become a professional, they must invest many hours actually performing the procedure on real patients.
Construction: An apprentice may watch a seasoned bricklayer or mason at work. But to master the craft, they must spend countless hours laying bricks and blocks themselves.
Sports: An aspiring athlete can learn much by watching game film. But true excellence comes from endless repetitions of the skills needed to excel in their position.
Even seasoned professionals lose their edge if they stop practicing. Time away means skills fade — you can’t use what you know; you can only use what you practice.
This is especially true in sales. Many salespeople dislike role-playing, yet these sessions are essential for serving clients and closing deals. The better you are in practice, the better you will perform when it counts.
In the movie Ford v Ferrari, Ken Miles’ son builds him a cardboard model of the Le Mans racetrack. Miles explains that in the 24-hour race, he may only have one “perfect lap” — and that moment is only possible because of what he mastered in practice.
Morning Minute Challenge:
The old saying claims “practice makes perfect.” In reality, only perfect practice makes perfect. Write down what “perfect practice” looks like for you. If you need help, drop me a line and I’ll share ideas to help you design it.
“You can’t use what you know — you can only use what you practice.”
That is today’s Morning Minute.
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