Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/818508
Progress after Plateau Q How do I continue to improve when I feel like my progress has plateaued? A There is no silver bullet to bring big gains in performance. One driver benefits from being smoother while another gains with quicker inputs. Practicing alternate lines also can yield faster laps. Of course, data analysis is fundamental to pick up speed and time. Nonetheless, the most common limiting factor is how a driver uses his eyes. Learning is never a linear progression. It involves periods of improvement followed by plateaus. A typical graph of skills acquired over time would appear as steps. We can map the process of learning on a matrix of consciousness and competence: Step 1: Unconscious Incompetence (ignorance is bliss) Drivers may stay here after learning the basics. Drivers feel confident in knowing the necessary skills. They can’t see their weaknesses and don’t know what to work on. Similarly, winning racers may believe that there is nothing more to learn. A driver who makes excuses demonstrates a state of unconscious incompetence. Believing “I am the best” or “I know best” hinders the learning process. Step 2: Conscious Incompetence (the source of my pain) Acknowledging one’s weaknesses can be painful. A driver must get past his or her ego and recognize that there is more to learn. This state represents the beginner mindset: I do not have the skills that I want, so I better learn. This can be a period of rapid learning where new information is acquired easily. It is also a period where existing beliefs are challenged. The student must be willing to question his existing understanding of things to make room for new possibilities. It is possible for drivers to get stuck here in their limiting beliefs: “I’m not fast enough,” or “I’ll never win.” Step 3: Conscious Competence (practice, practice, practice) Knowledge is applied, tested, adapted and assimilated. A great deal of effort and focus is required to break old habits and develop new ones. Honest assessment of limitations is necessary to see how applying new techniques impacts performance. A driver may believe his performance suffers while applying new techniques. The driver risks falling back on old habits to avoid a perceived reduction in performance. Only after the new skill has become second nature will his performance make a leap forward, which brings us to the final step. Step 4: Unconscious Competence (performance) Also known as operating from one’s subconscious. This is the flow state where a driver is able to perform flawlessly and still have mental bandwidth for other tasks like avoiding incidents or planning and executing passes. Learning plateaus in this state. There is a danger of getting stuck here and believing in ones mastery, which leads to unconscious incompetence. We run through this cycle throughout our skills development. Be mindful of getting stuck in any one state. If you get stuck, shake things up. Study books and videos. Try a simulator. Drive a different car. Try a wildly different setup or line. Lead-follow other cars, including other classes, etc. Furthermore, it can be extremely helpful to have a coach analyze your driving technique and point out areas for improvement. When we recognize a plateau, we can look forward to another leap forward in our skills. A mechanical engineer and driving coach, Joshua Allan has worked in the design offices of Ferrari’s Formula 1 team and has been a vehicle development test driver for Maserati in Italy. He is a five-time PTD champion in a Mazda MX-5 with Robert Davis Racing. Learn more at RacerMentor.com SN