Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same. ~ Martha Graham
The fourth competency is practice. Developing the competency of Discernment (as well as the other competencies) doesn't happen automatically, I have to practice this. There is an old phrase that suggests that practice makes perfect. We're not after perfection here, and I actually don't believe that practice does make perfect. I think that practice makes habits. This is the value of intentional practices and intentional practices are where success in life is built.
I am continuously practicing and thus the question is what kinds of habits have I developed? The habits in my life will either support where I want to go or will inhibit where I want to go and may have become stumbling blocks in and of themselves.
When I'm looking at practices and the development of mindful, intentional practices this is a challenging competency because it requires a high state of awareness and discipline. Is what I'm practicing on a daily basis going to enable what it is that I'd like to have from a behavioral standpoint, from an attitudinal standpoint and from an experience of life standpoint? Do my practices provide me the ground from where I may be able to connect more effectively with others in a way that propels me to what it is that I want in my life?
When it comes to developing intentional practices I’ve found it very useful to keep in mind that the way I do anything is the way that I do everything.
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