When performing gets in the way of improving | Eduardo Briceño | TEDxManhattanBeach

Summary

The speaker discusses the importance of balancing time between the learning zone, where the focus is on improvement and embracing mistakes, and the performance zone, aimed at executing tasks to the best of one's ability. By alternating between these zones, individuals can achieve continuous growth and improved performance in their personal and professional lives. The talk emphasizes the value of deliberate practice and creating low-stakes environments to foster learning and innovation.

Takeaways

• 🌟 People often strive to do their best but may not see improvement in areas they care about, despite hard work.
• 🔄 Effective individuals and teams alternate between two zones: the learning zone and the performance zone, each with distinct goals and activities.
• 📈 The learning zone focuses on improvement with activities designed for mastering new skills, accepting and learning from mistakes.
• 🎯 In the performance zone, the goal is to execute and perform tasks to the best of one's abilities, minimizing errors.
• 🚶‍♂️ Many people spend most of their time in the performance zone, which hinders growth and long-term performance.
• 🏛️ Historical example: Demosthenes, a great orator and lawyer in ancient Greece, engaged in deliberate practice to improve his skills.
• 🎓 Deliberate practice involves breaking down abilities, focusing on specific subskills, and using feedback for improvement.
• 📉 Performance plateaus often occur after the first few years in a profession due to lack of learning zone activities.
• 💼 The best in their fields, like salespeople and chess players, regularly engage in learning zone activities to keep improving.
• 🔑 To spend more time in the learning zone, one must believe in their ability to improve, have a clear purpose, know how to improve, and be in a low-stakes situation.
• 🌈 Creating low-stakes environments and leading by example can foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker addresses in the transcript?

The speaker addresses the issue of stagnation in personal growth and improvement, despite putting in a lot of effort and time in various aspects of life such as professional skills, relationships, and personal development.

What are the two zones the speaker mentions that effective people and teams alternate between?

The two zones are the learning zone, where the focus is on improvement and making mistakes, and the performance zone, where the goal is to execute and minimize mistakes.

Why is it important to alternate between the learning and performance zones?

Alternating between these zones is important because it allows individuals to maximize both immediate performance and long-term growth. Spending time in the learning zone facilitates improvement and adaptation of skills, while the performance zone ensures the application of those skills effectively.

What is the term used to describe the type of practice that leads to substantial improvement in the learning zone?

The term used is 'deliberate practice', which involves breaking down abilities into component skills, focusing on specific subskills to improve, and using feedback and repetition to push beyond current capabilities.

How did Demosthenes, the ancient Greek orator, exemplify the learning zone?

Demosthenes exemplified the learning zone by engaging in deliberate practice activities such as studying law and philosophy, practicing speeches in front of a mirror with a sword to correct shoulder lifting, speaking with stones in his mouth to improve clarity, and practicing in an underground room or by the ocean to project his voice.

What are some factors that prevent people from spending time in the learning zone?

Factors that prevent people from spending time in the learning zone include a lack of belief in one's ability to improve (fixed mindset), not having a clear purpose or motivation to improve, not knowing how to go about improving, and being in high-stakes situations where mistakes have severe consequences.

How can individuals create more opportunities for learning and growth in their lives?

Individuals can create opportunities for learning and growth by adopting a growth mindset, identifying specific skills they want to improve, engaging in deliberate practice, seeking low-stakes situations for practice, and reflecting on performances to identify areas for improvement.

What is the significance of having a growth mindset according to the transcript?

A growth mindset is significant because it fosters the belief that one can improve through effort and learning. This belief encourages individuals to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, learn from criticism, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others.

How can we balance the need for performance with the desire to learn and improve?

Balancing performance with learning involves consciously alternating between the performance zone and the learning zone. This means setting aside dedicated time for deliberate practice and improvement while also applying those skills in real-world situations to optimize performance.

What advice does the speaker give to those in high-stakes environments who cannot immediately change their situation?

The speaker suggests creating low-stakes islands within high-stakes environments, reflecting on performances to identify areas for improvement, observing and emulating experts, and leading by example to lower the stakes for others and foster a culture of ongoing learning.

What is the ultimate goal the speaker encourages individuals to strive for?

The speaker encourages individuals to strive for a balance between doing and learning, to continuously explore and improve, and to create an environment where learning is valued and mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth, leading to never-ending improvement and the pursuit of one's best self.