I tend to get into activities and disciplines quite deeply. Whenever I find something I like that is competitive, I simply go all out, learn all about it and practice like crazy.
For example: Go, martial arts (a couple of 'em), Mario Power Tennis, badminton, Chess, debate, Halo, Scrabble, boxing, real life tennis...
I've kicked ass and taken names in each, and had my fair share of humiliating defeats. I've also found that 'taking steps back' is a universal, unavoidable part of the learning experience. Progression in humans is never linear or constantly positive.
And it doesn't only apply to learning, as you might have guessed, but also physical skills. There's only so much to 'know' about badminton, but sometimes the proper technique or mindset just slips away a little (a step back) for a while. You pay closer attention to it, nurture it, and that part of your game becomes all that much stronger.
Why do pros have an inordinate amount of consistency? Imagine repeating this process tens of thousands of times!
