Why Top Performers Practice the Hardest Skills First and Win

Early in his sales career, Darren Hardy discovered that most reps chased deals they were already good at. Instead, he zeroed in on his weakest skill—closing objections. Each morning before dawn, he ran through a mock call in his tiny bathroom, the steam fogging the mirror as he practiced overcoming objections. At first, his technique sounded robotic, echoing off tile walls. But he persisted, each repetition etching confidence into muscle memory.

Within weeks, his manager noticed. On a Tuesday afternoon, a difficult prospect tested every charm Darren had. Instead of freezing, he leaned on his bathroom drills, calmly answering each concern. The client signed a deal twice his usual size. That victory didn’t feel like luck—it was the compound effect of small, focused practice sessions.

Darren’s story mirrors what behavioral science calls “deliberate practice.” It’s not mindless repetition; it’s targeted work on precisely the skills that lag behind your others. Over months, these micro-improvements stack up. Geoffrey Colvin’s research shows that people who climb to the top in any field spend 10,000 hours on deliberate practice, often for the most challenging elements first.

Today, Darren credits that early morning ritual as the turning point in his career. He went from average commissions to leading a national sales team. His secret wasn’t talent—it was putting discomfort front and center, repeatedly, until excellence followed.

Begin by listing and grading your core skills, then pick the lowest score and design a tiny drill to sharpen it. Book that drill every day as if it were a contract and end each session by asking a trusted colleague for blunt feedback. Integrate their tips into tomorrow’s practice. Start your plan tomorrow morning.