Do It Right The First Time
Sometimes when you’re given a task to do, you may have multiple opportunities to perfect it. For example, if your martial arts instructor gives you a new form to practice, they may say something like “I want you to do this form 50 times!” They do this so you have enough opportunities to learn how to do the form perfectly.
You know your instructor will give you plenty of time to practice, so you may be tempted to be a little lazy. If you’re distracted you may goof off the first few times, and if you’re tired you may do it sloppy the last few times. It’s totally understandable, but it isn’t acceptable because it can affect your training. It’s important to do it right the first time!
Why Should I Do It Right The First Time?
When your instructor, or any other coach or teacher, tries to teach you something they want to make sure you’re paying attention. You can only do it right the first time if you’ve been focusing on the lesson. By doing it right, you’re showing them that you’re skilled and you understand the lesson, so you can move on to more advanced lessons.
When you can master a form or technique quickly, your instructor can see your skills and help you better. If you don’t pay attention or you slack off during practice, you can’t learn properly learn and you may have to do easier lessons when you’re capable of so much more. Trying your best to do it right the first time helps you learn and grow!
What Happens If I Do It Wrong?
If you try your best and you still can’t do it right the first time, it’s ok! You can still try again, and as many times as you need to after that. Doing it right the first time doesn’t always mean being perfect the first time you try something, it just means you try your hardest when doing something new. So don’t feel shy or discouraged if you aren’t perfect the first time.
However, you should be very careful to avoid goofing off during your lessons. If you try a new technique and make silly jokes, you may end up learning the wrong thing! Remember, your body and your brain learn things together, so if you teach them the wrong technique, you will learn the wrong technique! It can be very difficult to unlearn something and start doing it properly, so do it right the first time.
You Can Apply This Motto Everywhere!
This motto can be used anywhere! It’s a great tool to teach yourself discipline and a good work ethic. For example, if you’re cleaning your room, do it right the first time. If you do it wrong, or you slack off and do a bad job, you’ll have to clean it all over again.
This motto makes it easier to learn things, and saves you a lot of time and effort. So, when you’re given a new task to tackle, remember to do it right the first time.
