Old adage "Practice Makes Perfect" has been applied to many kinds of learning, from high school chemistry and creative writing to music and sports. While experts continue to debate number of hours and type of practice that is optimal for success, one thing is clear: training improves performance and changes brain.

Does practice make perfect?

Sometimes when we are teaching a particular concept, it seems very easy - especially if your students ‘get it' pretty quickly, for most part. But as most teachers know, "getting it" for a test or other assessment and learning, mastering and retaining information or a skill in a more long term way are two totally different things. But just how much time, studying, and practice does it take to get it down pat?

Scientists first began examining ways practice affects performance more than a century ago. A later study of women working in a cigar factory in 1950s revealed that even after years of practice (in this case rolling cigars), people can become faster at a task. More recently, movement scientists studying college basketball players found that skilled players are better at making set shots at a foul line than would be predicted on basis of performance at other nearby locations on court. However, a similar effect was not seen when players attempted jump shots at foul line, suggesting that massive levels of practice can enhance specific actions more than others.

With advent of brain imaging technology, we now know that human brain maintains ability to modify its structure and function throughout life through a process called experience- or learning-dependent plasticity. Such changes include strength of connections and changes in activities that are engaged with specific actions or conditions.

These and other findings over past two decades have contributed greatly to our understanding of learning and memory. We now know that in order for practice to induce learning-dependent brain changes it must be meaningful, motivating, skilful, challenging and rewarding. In my lab, we are using this knowledge to develop a principle-based approach to foster recovery of voluntary movements in people who have sustained a stroke and lost motor skills such as walking and grasping.

What is Deliberate Practice?

• Constantly striving for improvement
• Monitoring performance
• Evaluating success
• Working on aspects you aren't ‘good' at

What is NOT Deliberate Practice?

• Mindless repetition
• Watching another expert
• Teaching others
• Staying in your comfort zone
• Only working on what you're good at

Practice means constant use of one's intellectual and aesthetic powers. Perfect means "ideal", complete and "excellent". Proper planning and practice promote perfect performance. Practice depends on training and it means repeating an activity. Constant practice also sharpens talents.

One has to follow certain qualities to be perfect. These are hard work, strong well power, faith, tolerance, positive approach, self confidence and dedication. Quality that prepares one for all other qualities is practice. One should not stop practicing and be satisfied until one achieves perfection.

Practice is best way by which one can achieve perfection. Practice makes one feel and understand same idea or thing again and again. More one practices, more errorless one becomes. One doesn't repeat errors that were done previously.

Practice begins in cradle and ends in grave. Right from childhood, man practices various activities like talking, reading, writing, eating, cooking etc. For learning an art or any activity, one needs constant practice. Child practices speaking first by learning alphabets, then words, sentences and finally speech. Child through repeated practice reaches perfection in speaking. One can't ride a bicycle or a motor bike or drive a car at very first instance. One needs practice till one achieves perfection in same. Same method applies to other areas too.

Perfection makes art survive test of time. Such works of art give joy to generations. There is no end of practicing while learning fine arts, viz, music, dance, drama, painting etc. Writers put their imagination into words. They express their emotions feelings and ideas by writing. perfection in their style of writing is somehow dependent on practice. They never consider popularity gained by one book as end of their practice.

Perfection is necessary in every shape of life. Perfection in shooting is an essential quality that Defence personnel possess. Practice is essential in law and medicine too. Surgery can be mastered by practice. Even practice of cooking enables one to get perfect taste one wants. Thus, from kitchen to office, practice is needed to gain perfection in every field.

A person cannot be perfect is every sphere of life. It is quite natural to have certain deficiencies. But once can practice repeatedly to lessen deficiencies. One may face difficulties during course of practice. One should not feel dejected in such a case, He should overcome them in order to achieve perfection.

Practice enables a person to reach heights of success in all walks of life. Practice develops outstanding qualities in one's character. Practice not only brings perfection but also helps in building character. Thus, it is practice that makes a man perfect who can face every challenge in his life.