Making Quantum Jumps With Endeavors

I remember the scene in Star Wars where Luke Skywalker, in training to become a Jedi, learns to “go with the force” while blindfolded and just acting according to his instincts. Yes, this is science fiction and fantasy, but there is also an element of applicable truth in it as well. For to get really good at anything, there often arises the need to just “take off” and leap into unfamiliar and possibly dangerous territory (although this rarely necessitates closing one’s eyes).

For example, I once, several decades ago, got hired as a prep cook at a small restaurant. The owner told me that I would have to be very quick with a knife to keep my job. So I tried to do just that. And I gradually made progress, but not enough to be considered proficient. Then, one day, out of the blue, I was working at my station and suddenly felt that it was time to “let it fly”. I began cutting food “as if” I were already an expert in it, and at a frightening speed. And it worked! In the span of just five or ten minutes, I made a quantum jump in my precision and speed at preparing food with a knife. And quickly word spread that I was a pretty doggone good prep cook! What did I do to achieve this? First, I laid the groundwork by assiduously practicing my “craft”. I learned all of the ins and outs of how to handle a knife and how to make the right cuts in my various tasks. And then I made the jump. In a sense, I withdrew my “brain” and let my fingers do the cutting. It was almost as if I were a passive observer of the proceedings. With something like a knife, this is really an act of personal courage, believe me! But it worked.

This sort of thing, I believe, is necessary in just about any endeavor that involves building up and demonstrating skill. You study and practice, study and practice. But then, you have to “leave the nest” and fly! And when you do, you need the confidence of a veteran in that endeavor. Easier said than done. Especially when making that “quantum leap” involves a risk that demands some courage. Which is probably why so many people are “beginners” in different areas and not “experts”!