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3 min read
By Carl @ RunThrough

The Benefits of Focused Practice

You've been playing for years, but you feel stuck. The same mistakes keep happening. Progress has slowed to a crawl. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Most musicians hit plateaus because they're practicing, but not focused practicing. What is Focused...

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You've been playing for years, but you feel stuck. The same mistakes keep happening. Progress has slowed to a crawl. Sound familiar?

You're not alone. Most musicians hit plateaus because they're practicing, but not focused practicing.

What is Focused Practice?

Focused practice is deliberate, intentional work on specific skills. It's the difference between:

  • Playing songs you already know vs. working on new techniques
  • Repeating something mindlessly vs. analyzing and improving
  • Practicing until you're tired vs. practicing until you've improved

The Science

Research by psychologist Anders Ericsson (the "10,000 hours" researcher) shows that deliberate practice—not just time spent—is what creates expertise.

Key Characteristics of Focused Practice

  1. Specific Goals: You know exactly what you're trying to improve
  2. Immediate Feedback: You can tell if you're getting better
  3. Stretching Your Limits: You're working just outside your comfort zone
  4. Full Attention: You're mentally engaged, not on autopilot

Benefits You'll Experience

1. Faster Progress

When you practice with focus, every session moves you forward. You're not just maintaining—you're improving. This compounds over time.

2. Breaking Through Plateaus

Plateaus happen when you're doing the same thing repeatedly. Focused practice introduces new challenges and approaches, breaking the cycle.

3. Better Self-Awareness

Focused practice teaches you to listen critically and identify problems. This skill transfers to everything you play.

4. More Efficient Use of Time

An hour of focused practice beats three hours of mindless repetition. You get more done in less time.

5. Increased Confidence

When you see measurable improvement, your confidence grows. You know you can tackle new challenges because you've seen yourself improve before.

How to Practice Focused

1. Start with a Question

"What do I want to improve today?" Be specific. Not "get better at guitar" but "play this scale with even timing."

2. Set Up for Success

  • Eliminate distractions (phone, notifications, etc.)
  • Have your instrument ready
  • Have a recording device ready
  • Have a metronome if needed

3. Work in Short Bursts

Focused practice is mentally demanding. Work for 20-30 minutes, then take a break. Your brain needs rest to consolidate learning.

4. Track Your Progress

Record yourself. Compare today's take to yesterday's. Notice what's improving and what still needs work.

5. Push Your Limits

If something feels easy, you're not practicing—you're performing. Find the edge of your ability and work there.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Only Playing What You Know

If you only play songs you've mastered, you're not practicing—you're performing. Practice should feel challenging.

Mistake 2: No Specific Goals

"Practice guitar for an hour" isn't focused. "Work on clean chord transitions in this song" is.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Mistakes

If you make the same mistake three times, stop. Figure out why it's happening. Don't just keep playing and hope it fixes itself.

Mistake 4: Practicing Too Long

After 45-60 minutes, your focus wanes. Better to practice 30 minutes with full attention than 2 hours on autopilot.

The Compound Effect

One day of focused practice might not feel like much. But over a year:

  • 15 minutes/day = 91 hours of focused practice
  • 30 minutes/day = 182 hours
  • 1 hour/day = 365 hours

Compare that to someone who "practices" for 3 hours once a week (156 hours/year) but spends most of that time on autopilot. You'll progress faster with less total time.

Making It a Habit

Focused practice is a skill itself. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Start small:

  • Commit to 15 minutes of focused practice daily
  • Use a timer
  • Record your sessions
  • Review your progress weekly

The Bottom Line

Time spent practicing doesn't equal progress. Focused practice equals progress.

Stop going through the motions. Start practicing with intention. Record your sessions. Compare your takes. Make specific improvements.

Your future self will thank you.

Focus your practice. Accelerate your progress. Break through your plateaus.