I was recently hanging some wallpaper in our house. I’ve done this before, but always with someone else. I struggled my way through the project and was content with the outcome. Made a few mistakes, but overall an acceptable job. Especially for a place that is low-traffic and mostly covered by other items. 

I sent a picture of the finished result to my father-in-law, the one who I’ve done this type of thing with before, and he complimented the work providing me the reassurance I was indirectly asking for. 

I made a comment back along the lines of “Probably would have turned out better if I had my partner, but it was fun either way.” His response was, “It was a good place for practice.” 

That note struck me. So much wisdom in a conversation about wallpaper.

Finding opportunities to practice any new skill is always advantageous. But selecting the right location can hone those skills even more.

The ideal time to practice presentation skills is not in front of 100 people. The ideal time to practice free throws is not with the game on the line. 

Identify these spaces where skills can be honed and shared safely. Receive the feedback from either your own observations or others and then keep marching on. Find a good place for practice.