The importance of repeating the same thing

by Paulo Coelho on April 11, 2012

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

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{ 83 comments… read them below or add one }

mary May 7, 2012 at 10:49 pm

me recuerda mucho a mis clases de psicología y “el ensayo y error ” para aprendar, si no mal recuerdo es la teoría de skinner

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J. May 1, 2012 at 11:21 pm

Incrível como encontrei este texto no momento que eu precisava ouvir essa mensagem. De tempos em tempos visito seu blog e é impressionante como sempre “saio” daqui com uma sensação de ter a resposta para a minha dúvida. Hoje, entendo a resposta como um “tenha paciência, treine, dedique-se, você encontrará o seu caminho”.
Às vezes temos a impressão de que talento é algo intuitivo, rápido, mas concordo com você, o treino nos torna intuitivos. É como dirigir em um caminho que você costuma fazer todos os dias. Você poderia fazê-lo de olhos fechados, sem pensar e o trajeto se torna prazeroso. Diferente de um novo caminho, que no começo nos deixa tensos, por não sabermos aonde irá nos levar.

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Cindy April 24, 2012 at 8:15 am

I needed to see this. Thank you.

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mani April 18, 2012 at 2:13 am

truly inspiring !

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Nnd Huang April 17, 2012 at 6:08 pm

yes, indeed the importance of repetitive action to horn whatever skill you want to learn, an inevitable step to tread ;) an inspiring post there, Cuello!

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sofia April 15, 2012 at 1:33 am

repetir hasta el cansancio y un poco más con el mismo esfuerzo que el primero para poder llegar a la perfección.
Existe la perfección?
no lo se,
pero hay que seguir siempre adelante

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Nathalie April 14, 2012 at 3:10 pm

Merci pour votre texte qui tombait à pic. Je l’ai partagé pour mon plus grand bonheur.

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