Quantity or quality?

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.
Yogi Berra
1925 – 2015

Which is more important, quantity or quality?

Before you answer, let me share a little story with you.

On the first day of a pottery class, the instructor divided the class into two groups. The group on the left was given the following instructions: “You will be graded on the quantity of vases you make during this semester. Make over fifty pounds of vases and you get an A.” To the group on the right, he said, “You are only to make one vase during this semester. But make the very best vase you possibly can. Since you are making only one vase, it should be extremely high quality. Your grade will be based on the quality of the vase you make.”

So before you read on, think about the quantity versus quality question. Which group do you think benefited most from the class?

The results might surprise you. The group whose goal was to produce the largest quantity of vases actually produced the highest quality work as well. They made lots of vases, and in doing so, they made a lot of mistakes. But as a result, they learned what worked and what didn’t. Because they learned from their mistakes and applied that knowledge, the quality of their work greatly improved over the course of the semester.

I work with plenty of people who are learning new skills. Some are writing books; others are creating new programs or physical products. One of the biggest issues they all face is the need to make sure their work is perfect. Instead of making an attempt, releasing it, and learning from the feedback they receive, they focus on making the perfect product the first time. And all too often, they never get their “vase” good enough.

If you’re engaging in any activity where you learn by doing, then doing more of that activity is the way to succeed. The classic example is the baby learning how to walk. Their first attempts are awkward, clumsy and involve a lot of falls, but if they tried to master walking any other way, they’d never learn to do it.

The lesson here is simple but profound. For certain activities, digging in, making mistakes, learning, and trying again really is the most effective approach. Think of your efforts as practice instead of looking at them as your one and only shot. And then learn what you did wrong and practice some more. As long as you learn from your efforts, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.
Aristotle
384 – 322 BC

Copyright © 2016 John Chancellor