Practice Makes Perfect

[Mino]

Somebody said that to me over and over again today, practice makes perfect. Currently, I am so annoyed with that statement that I just have to spread (what I think is) the truth.

Practice DOES NOT make perfect
Practice makes Permanent
Practice makes Consistent
But practice DOES NOT make perfect.

My reasoning for this? Simple, if you practice the wrong technique over and over again, invariably you will get very good at doing the wrong thing. Just because you pour your heart and soul into practicing something, if you're practicing it wrong, it won't turn perfect.

Now what is my point to this? Well, none really, this is just my angry rant, but I do hope that when you guys learn new material/sleights or whatever, you pay attention to where hands, fingers, and all that go, and practice the technique correctly.

Mino

 

[NlightN]

but practicing the right method makes perfect. but its only perfect if you can do it without anyone noticing it EVER. even other magicians!

 

[Farrell]

Nothing is perfect, there is no spoon.

 

[Mino]

There is no spoon, only a spork.

 

[NlightN]

Nothing is perfect, there is no spoon.

ofc it is, perfect is as good as it gets.

 

[Farrell]

Nothing is perfect, a human isn't perfect, a robot isn't perfect, a spoon isn't perfect, there is no spoon.

 

[NlightN]

so why does the word perfect exist and is constantly used?

because perfect is as good as you think it should be.

"move that sofa a little. a little more. a little more. perfect!"

i have many spoons.

 

[JohnH]

Nothing is perfect, a human isn't perfect, a robot isn't perfect, a spoon isn't perfect, there is no spoon.

I have to disagree. A circle is perfect. I find it hard to argue against that.

--------------------

Here's my thinking on this: Practice does make perfect. But if you practice the wrong thing, you are becoming perfect at the wrong thing. Now, let's say I want to learn a double lift. I practice nonstop, but during my practice I lift three cards, every time. I am becoming perfect at triple lifts, but know nothing about double lifts. So to learn what you want to learn, you have to practice the right way. I learned this yesterday when we got a test back in school. My friend studied for hours, and got a 60. Why? Because he learned it wrong. If you learn something wrong, it becomes a habit.

John

 

[copperfield 14]

Somebody said that to me over and over again today, practice makes perfect. Currently, I am so annoyed with that statement that I just have to spread (what I think is) the truth.

Practice DOES NOT make perfect
Practice makes Permanent
Practice makes Consistent
But practice DOES NOT make perfect.

My reasoning for this? Simple, if you practice the wrong technique over and over again, invariably you will get very good at doing the wrong thing. Just because you pour your heart and soul into practicing something, if you're practicing it wrong, it won't turn perfect.

Now what is my point to this? Well, none really, this is just my angry rant, but I do hope that when you guys learn new material/sleights or whatever, you pay attention to where hands, fingers, and all that go, and practice the technique correctly.

Mino

Few things I want to say about this.

1. there was a thread about this and he said almost everyword the same as you.

2. Practice makes perfect does not mean you will be perfect but you will get better everytime which eventually you would get better than everyone else. Ex. Virtuso, Dan and Dave, jerry, devo

3. I don't get what your talking about. First you complain about practice not making you perfect, then you talk about wrong grips and finger placements.

 

[Jordan Lapping]

What is Perfection? Is it being able to do something so well that there are no flaws, or it being able to do something so well that no-one else thinks there are flaws? It could be any of those two, or even anything totally different. It depends on anyone's definition of 'Perfect'.

To a layman, you may do something and they scream "Oh my God, that was perfect!" You peform the same thing to a magician and they go "That was really nice, but I'd suggest you..." etc..

I think we're heading into deep water with this topic, there's no true answer and I don't firmly believe anyone can get 'perfection' with anything, but we can be close. But still, there is some truth in the quote. The more we practice, the closer we get to that goal - no matter what anyone's definition may be.

Jordan

 

[PatrickDonovan]

How about.... Perfect practice makes perfect. Have fun with that one.

 

[Electron John]

I am pretty sure I have heard Jay Sankey say in one of his DVD's "Practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent!". My point being that is a not a new concept in magic. But I am glad you brought it up because it is an important lesson for us to remember.