1st Stage Developing Competence

There are four stages in developing competence. The first stage and most challenging stage is unconscious incompetence. What this means is you suck but you don’t know that you suck. You can learn that you suck by seeing yourself on video. You can also become more conscious by paying deeper attention to your body, practicing this awareness over time. You may find that getting a coach to offer feedback as you practice can accelerate your progress, building confidence as you practice. A good coach can also provide examples and homework-such as sitting tall in a chair, eyes closed, then bring the arms up overhead with the aim of connecting the fingertips of the right hand to the tips of the left hand.

The combination of the two, seeing yourself, and deepening your awareness of your movements and position of your body sends you into the second stage: conscious incompetence. Now you are conscious of your incompetence! Now you practice the skills needed.

Stay tuned for next weeks post for stage 2.