Allen Iverson had it right.

“We’re talkin’ about practice, how silly is that?  We’re talkin’ about practice?”

Practice is when we do the same things over and over to get better.   Learning, on the other hand, is when we expand our understanding of what we do and add that to what we already know, then practice it.

Practice isn’t enough.  Organizations are filled with practitioners.  They’ve spent years and years honing their craft.    The problem is we don’t need more practitioners, they don’t bring much value.

Practitioners hone; honing closes our minds and establish a status quo.  Honing shrinks the pie.  Honing lacks innovation and growth.  Practitioners practice.  Practice gets us better at what we know, it doesn’t make us good and that IS silly.

To be good, we have to learn.  Learning expands what we know.  Learning adds to the status quo.  Learning expands the pie.  Learning drives innovation and creativity.   Learning is what makes us good. We need more people learning their craft.

If you want to be good, LEARN your craft, don’t just practice it.  The world needs more of that.