What’s the difference between Intentional Practice and Deliberate Practice?

They start in the same place.

The theory of deliberate practice emphasizes, in the pursuit of expertise, quality over quantity of experiences and values the student's holistic ability to process, and integrate improvements in targeted skills (Ericsson et al., 1993).

It’s amazing. It helps us understand that we can have an influence on our brains through neuroplasticity. But Intentional Practice takes it a step further. When we work in an efficient way through targeted strategies, we get better faster by laying better neural pathways. When we bring in intention, the quality of those connections and pathways improves further, increasing integration, confidence, and consistent, sustainable excellence. 

Intentional Practice adds two major elements to Deliberate Practice :

1/ Intention as a guide. Having an overarching direction helps us stay on track and go further. It also helps us maintain progress and keeps us moving towards our goals on days it feels difficult. Intention is the precursor to motivation. 

2/ Positive Emotional Signatures
Research shows that when learning in a context of “fun” or “play,” we learn faster, need fewer repetitions, and have better integration & retrieval. One of the best ways to deal with stress (our mind trying to protect us from danger) is to associate positive emotions with actions in our preparation (simple or complex) through visualization and mental practice. When we associate positive emotions with actions, we are more able to recognize and deal with uninvited nerves / stress, because our nervous system knows that not only we are actually safe, and that we physically and emotionally enjoy what we’re doing. 

⚡️SPARK Practice is the Intentional Practice System for confidence onstage and in the practice room. SPARK Practice, your best friend in the practice room. 

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