Have you ever felt that you are training for hours on end and not getting the results you are hoping for? If you mostly feel that way, then read our two cents about how practicing deliberately can transform the way you train and improve in Fortnite.
If you are trying to improve and sharpen your Fortnite skills, Win more boxfights, or win cash cups, you should know that your training’s quality is more important than its length in terms of improving your abilities. That’s where Deliberate Practice comes in.
So what is Deliberate Practice, and why it is key to your improvement in Fortnite:
Practicing deliberately is practicing with intention and attention, as opposed to a mindlessly and unintentional way of just repeating the same things over and over again, leading on many occasions the same results. If we want to see a real improvement, especially in our areas of weakness, we should be more mindful of how we train.
Practicing deliberately is practicing purposefully and systematically, meaning that staying focused, even for a short period, is an essential aspect of the training. As we’ve mentioned before, it’s not about how long you can practice; it’s merely about the quality of the training, the consistency of your training, and your ability to stay on task; those are the main ingredients of a “Good Fortnite practice time”.
K. Anders Ericsson is a psychologist who is internationally known as an expertise and performance researcher.
Ericsson as a leading researcher of deliberate practice argues that natural talent is somewhat of an illusion; he believes that expertise is not a genetically prescribed ability. Expertise in Ericsson’s opinion results from a long-life deliberate effort in trying to become an expert at the practitioner’s chosen domain.
Contemporary research in the field of expertise also supports the idea that our ability is mostly capped by our effort and training and not by any lack of born talent.
Got it, So how can I practice more deliberately?
Practicing deliberately is all about breaking patterns; When we do the same things repeatedly, our minds naturally make those things our habits. This is the nature of things; as we repeat the same tasks, they become more mindless, and mindless is our enemy here.
Tips on practicing more deliberately:
- Feedback is vital – whether it is self-feedback or from someone else. Examining and analyzing your performance is crucial for your improvement, so make sure you VOD review your game.
- If you’re watching others play (pros, streamers, etc.) – make sure you are an active watcher; Be focused, observative, and take mental (and physical) notes about what you will do differently in your next Fortnite game or practice.
- Disassemble and Assemble – for example, if we take Aiming, the skill itself can be broken down into sub-skills such as Flicking, Tracking, and Target Switching. If you consistently work on your sub-skills, your Fortnite game will vastly improve when you “assemble” it back. In NOVOS, we take the skills necessary for the game and help you improve, especially your weak spots. You should invest time in getting better in each skill, so when we assemble the parts back together, you will be proficient in every field.
- Set goals, and follow them – not too high, as we have to keep ourselves motivated, yet not too low as we must consistently expand our comfort zone. Only by intense concentration and attentional practice, we can push our boundaries and develop our skillset. Devote enough time to practice the skills that you feel the least comfortable with them. For example – if you think your boxfighting game is weak, then invest your time there. People tend to stick to what we are already good at, but using ‘grit’ and focusing on our weak areas is the way to go. Either way, NOVOS has you covered here, too; we tailor our routines and practices to your skills and goals while keeping you motivated and challenged.
- Easy does it – first, we start practicing slowly, and then we pick up the pace. Starting slowly and building good foundations will help you to improve in practically every aspect of Fortnite. Aiming, Building, Editing, Boxfighting, and more. If you want to build good foundations and improve muscle memory, you should go slow. When going slow, we have a chance to analyze and process.
- Fortress of solitude – find yourself a calm and quiet environment where you can practice your passion and actualize your potential as a player who takes improvement seriously. One of the most significant challenges of deliberate practice is to remain focused. Getting rid of as many distractions as possible is vital. This is your dedicated time to train and give everything you got, as a deliberate practice requires focus.
In conclusion:
Deliberate practicing is one of the most viable techniques you can apply to improve your skills. Following the guidelines above will help you get the most out of your practice time. More than anything, the quality of your effort and the perseverance of your actions will determine how well you will do; In Fortnite and in life in general.
”No matter what the field, the most effective approaches to improving performance all follow a single set of general principles. We named this universal approach “deliberate practice.” Today deliberate practice remains the gold standard for anyone in any field who wishes to take advantage of the gift of adaptability in order to build new skills and abilities.”
– Anders Ericsson
