Practice makes perfect. We’ve all heard this old saying, but how true it is.

Testimonies to this theory are international stars Barbra Streisand and Michael Jordan.

When Barbra Streisand was in Melbourne on a concert tour it was reported that she spent 3 hours in the blazing hot Melbourne sun rehearsing her whole concert – from beginning to end. Could the reason she’s so good be that she always rehearses, always practises her performance?

Many people think that Streisand has reached the top based on natural ability and that she doesn’t need to rehearse. But this is not the case. What makes perfection is the fact that she does the preparation and the preparation is the rehearsal. She replicates a perfect performance from perfect practice.

In the audio book Rebound, The Odyssey of Michael Jordan by Bob Green, the author tells a story about Jordan arriving in town for a big match. Whilst all of the other team members were out being interviewed by the media, Jordan was spotted in his sweatsuit, down on the basketball court, practising. Throwing a ball by himself. Perfect practice makes perfect play.

What is common about Streisand and Jordan who are both at the top of the tree? Practice, rehearsal and drill. By the time they’re ready to perform they’ve practiced, rehearsed and drilled so well that perfection is bound to follow.

What’s the lesson for you? Simple… if you want to get good, you’ve got to practise. And practice means doing it again and again and again in private before you do it in public.

Practising involves role-playing, rehearsing with your team members, with your family, before you ever try it on a customer, client or patient.

Competence comes from confidence, and confidence comes from practice. Find the time to practice what you need to say or do so that you can say or do it confidently effortlessly and easily. Take a leaf out of Streisand’s and Jordan’s books— put in the practice and you’ll be a hit in the big league!