One day last week Michelle asked me to estimate how many chicken dishes she has prepared since we got married twenty years ago. We have eaten a lot of delectable chicken meals. We have at least one meal per week that includes chicken. A crude estimate would be that Michelle has prepared about 1,040 chicken dishes over the 20 year period.
Michelle’s question about chicken dishes caused me to start thinking about the benefits of repetition to achieving our goals and success. Throughout our 20 years of marriage we have enjoyed all kinds of chicken dishes prepared by Michelle. We have had whole chicken, half chicken, quarter chicken and even Cajun hens. We have had chicken in pineapple, chicken in lemon, chicken in orange, barbecued, curried, spicy and hot, baked, fried, stuffed and grilled. We have had Italian, Chinese, Asian, Indian and chicken done in styles I can’t even pronounce the name without biting my tongue. My point is you name it Michelle has prepared it. Michelle chicken dishes are delicious and delectable and some are succulent, mouth-watering and simply finger-licking.
Chicken dishes are relatively easy and quick to prepare. This is due partially to the high frequency with which we repeat the process of preparing chicken dishes. The high frequency reduces the amount of mental effort required for each dishes. The high frequency with which the dishes are prepared makes the process routine and almost automatic. It reduces the complexity of preparation and increases the efficiency.
Depending on the nature of one's endeavors, the repetition of preparing chicken dishes provides useful benefits that are applicable in pursuing our goals and success. In the professional sports and the military repetition is used to prepare athletes and military personnel to respond instinctively when under stress. In the 1984 movie “The Karate Kid” starring Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Keisuke Miyagi one of Daniel’s first lessons is cleaning and waxing his master’s car. His master tells him to "wax on, wax off". Daniel at first failed to see any connection to the repetitious movement involved with wax on, wax off to his karate training. When he expresses his frustration, Miyagi reveals that Daniel has been learning defensive blocks through muscle memory learned by performing wax on, wax off. A core benefit of repetition is that it builds memory and helps us to discover our personal rhythms necessary to performing tasks tied to our goals. Another example, in 1960, the Beatles played in Hamburg, Germany for very long hours sometimes performing for four and a half hours each weekday night and for up to six hours on Saturdays. This helped the Beatles perfected their craft and becoming one the world’s most famous and legendary music group.
When the repetition of tasks is tied to our goals it helps to reduce the costs or time we need to transition from one task to another. Occasionally Michelle will prepare one of her fancy delicious side dishes such as scalloped potatoes or broccoli cauliflower casserole to accompany our mouth-watering chicken meals. The preparation of these side dishes involves transitioning which entails an expenditure of time and efforts. They require an adjustment in Michelle’s state of mind to fit the task of involve in her fancy dishes. This is important key factor for success and for us to achieve our goals to flourish and succeed is our ability to multi-task. In this day and age we have to perform a multiplicity of tasks to succeed. Repetition allows us to perform a specific task extensively so that we become proficient and therefore reduces the costs of transition to other activities.
I enjoy watching Michelle prepare some of her finest chicken dishes. At her best she is like the youthful national figure skating champion Kaetlyn Osmond performing the triple-triple tricks that are now mandatory for elite females in international competitions. At her best, Michelle appears in a zone that is best described as automatic. This is the default mode of functioning that professional athletes and military personnel are accustomed when performing under stress. It is best called the "state of flow" or the "groove." I usually know when Michelle is in this zone. For example, if she is preparing chicken in lemon sauce accompanied by one her fancy side dishes she will listen to music and dance. When she is in her default more or “state of flow” or “groove” these days she just throws in a CD from Nat King Cole or some other hit music from the 1960s or 1970s and she just dance away. At that point I know that what she is doing based purely on memory. When she in the “groove” it reduces the amount of mental effort required. She is fully immersed and this saves time, maximizes her energy and creativity.
Today, I would like you to think about Michelle and her plethora of chicken dishes and the benefits of repetition to achieving your goals and success. Remember, repetition lubricates creativity, increases capacity, and helps develop effective working patterns that result in higher efficiency. No matter what your goals be sure to reap the benefits of repetition. Repetition increases proficiency, save time when transitioning to other tasks and enhance your efficiency.
What tasks do you repeat frequently? Does repetition help you achieve your goals?
Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor. He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.
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