Hey Reader!
I once decided I was going to learn how to play the guitar. I did not own a guitar, but that did not stop me. I spent hours on YouTube watching videos about finger placement, chord progressions, and how to play “Wonderwall” because apparently that is required. I memorized the names of all six strings and even downloaded an app that simulated a fretboard. After about a week, I was convinced I was on my way to being the next John Mayer. Then a friend handed me an actual guitar. Within ten seconds it was clear: I had mastered the what; the notes, the chords, the theory, but had never once worked on the how of actually making a sound come out of the thing. Turns out there is a big difference between knowing a C chord and playing a C chord without sounding like you dropped a toolbox down the stairs. And for the record, I still cannot play the guitar.
And it got me thinking…
In sports, school, and even life, we are obsessed with the what. What we need to learn, what our players need to do, what the end result should look like. We create practice plans, hand out playbooks, run drills, assign homework, and check boxes. But too often, we skip over the how. How does an athlete actually acquire a skill? How does a coach create an environment where learning sticks? How does a parent help their child grow from a setback instead of simply telling them what to fix?
We measure what we have covered, not how it is being absorbed.
The truth is, the how is the part that actually determines whether the what lasts. You can teach an athlete the correct technique for a serve, but if you teach it without considering how the brain acquires and retains new skills, through spacing, varied practice, meaningful feedback, and the right balance of challenge, they will not truly own it. You can teach a team your defensive system, but if you have not taught them how to adapt it mid-game, it becomes choreography that collapses the second something unexpected happens.
We know from learning science and the work of people like Trevor Ragan from The Learner Lab that learning is shaped by environment, feedback timing, emotional state, and the chance to apply skills in different situations. If we ignore the how, we are leaving most of the growth on the table.
I would love to tell you I eventually learned to play guitar, but that would be a lie. What I did learn is that all the “what” in the world is meaningless without the “how.” Whether it is music, sports, or anything else, you cannot just study the idea of something, you have to engage in the messy, awkward, and sometimes loud process of actually doing it.
So next time you are learning or teaching, remember: the “what” is the sheet music, but the “how” is picking up the guitar and trying, even if the first few notes sound like you just stepped on a cat.
Mental Performance Takeaways
- Athletes: Ask yourself, “Do I just know the play, or do I know how to learn and adjust it?”
- Coaches: Instead of only asking, “Did they get it?” ask, “How are they getting it?”
- Parents: Praise the process; effort, curiosity, adaptability, just as much as the outcome.