Practice Makes Permanent …

We often hear the phrase; practice makes perfect. But what if what we are practising is no longer serving us? Sometimes, growth requires unlearning as much as learning.

Challenging Old Beliefs

We can be in the same storm, but some are on an inflatable dingy, some on a cruise liner and some are in a submarine. The same challenge can feel very different depending on our internal resources, past conditioning, and learned behaviours.

Our personal, past, lived experience, shapes how we experience the world.

Some guide us, others limit us. Concepts formed and ideas about gender roles, careers, or our own abilities can hold us back. Asking Is this belief still serving me? Can create space for new perspectives and greater self-awareness.

Rethink, Rewire, Renew

Unlearning is not erasing the past but refining how we think and act. Change in personal and professional settings, can be difficult, and the only person we can change is ourselves.

Small shifts matter:

• Focus on your circle of control

• Lead by example

• Stay curious

• Develop your mindset

Psychologist Carol Dweck describes a growth mindset as the belief that abilities can be developed through effort.

With it, we can become more open to feedback, resilient in setbacks, and committed to improvement.

Unlearning can become a process of upgrading, not discarding.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” — Stephen Hawking

Potentially Beneficial Everyday Practices For Actioning Sequential Growth

• Sit briefly with discomfort without judgement

• Focus on one life area, set measurable goals

• Establish a weekly routine that incorporates weekly solitude

• Weekly review: what did I avoid, complete, deepen?

• Celebrate progress (no matter how small)

• Practise gratitude for structure and presence

• Re-evaluate regularly

• Treat mistakes as data

• Stay curious and resilient

Practice does not make perfect, it makes patterns. By questioning old beliefs and embracing growth, we can create space for renewal and lasting change.