You’d be automatic

With seconds left on the clock, you need a three-pointer to win the game.

To your left is the teammate who’s always the first in the gym and the last to leave, practicing tirelessly.

To your right is the teammate who only shows up when it’s game time.

Who are you passing the ball to?

We’re all choosing the person who’s practiced that scenario thousands of times. All those reps mean that when its their turn in a real game, they’re automatic.

Even the best NBA players continue to spend hours a day perfecting their craft — dribbling, shooting, defending, rebounding. If not, they’d be out of the league within a year.

But what about us as web professionals? How often are we practicing our skills?

I’m not talking about the time spent on client projects — I mean dedicated practice time, free from deadlines and clients breathing down your neck?

It might have been days, weeks, months, or even years since you’ve sat down solely to hone your skills.

In a typical day, I might jump from being a salesperson to a designer, developer, customer service rep, and even a janitor. It’s rare to spend an hour straight on one specific task.

Expecting significant progress while juggling all these roles is insanely unrealistic. And, to be honest, it’s probably why many of us stop making huge strides as we did early in our careers.

If the best athletes in the world continue to practice just as hard (if not harder) over the entire length of their career, why do we think we shouldn’t do the same?

Imagine spending just 15 minutes a day over the next year practicing headline variations or recreating your favorite designs to study what makes them great. How much better of a copywriter or designer would you be?

You’d be automatic.