Today’s post is largely an extension of the last couple posts.
I know the title of this post is technically a math equation, so let us start by stating the equation in plain English “Theory is more important than practice.” This is important to know because a lot of people get tripped up with their resistance to theory. Admittedly, much of that resistance is well-earned because many theories are dogshit.
Now, let us quickly touch on two slightly opposing quotes, as we simplify complexity. It has been said “In theory, there is no difference between practice and theory. In practice, there is.” Of course, the quote is accurate. But, it has also been said “There is nothing so practical as a good theory.” And, that quote is also accurate.
As a general rule, practice precedes theory. Meaning, people repeatedly do a thing and eventually others come in to codify the practice, meaning explicitly organize the theory implicit within the practice. That said, this general rule has at least one important exception.
This exception pertains to something psychologist Carol Dweck calls “self-theories.” The name Carol Dweck (pictured below) is becoming more and more well-known because she is the person behind the research on something known as the “growth mindset.” Simply defined, the growth mindset is the belief that our skills and abilities can be grown through effort and practice. The growth mindset exists in contradistinction to the “fixed mindset,” which is the belief that our skills and abilities are fixed and cannot really change.
Why does this matter?
It matters because we live in the time of the knowledge society. And while knowledge has always been valuable to humans, today it is becoming more and more imperative. In the current context, it has essentially become a requirement that people be lifelong learners. This doesn’t mean we must attend formal schooling for our entire lives, but it does mean we need a growth mindset.
Hopefully you can see how the growth mindset is a self-theory, that is a theory about the self. And as professor Dweck has convincingly demonstrated, whether or not people grow and improve depends first on whether or not they believe they are capable of growth and improvement.
So, another way to verbalize today’s math equation title is “Theory precedes practice.” Because if your theory is the skills and abilities of the self are largely set at birth, you are very unlikely to practice. Perhaps you can see how the fixed mindset becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, we will have to save a discussion of self-fulfilling prophecies for another day.
Yes, in at least one critically important way → Theory > Practice
