I returned to the piano after a three-decade break, and the biggest lesson as an adult learner—one I wish someone had shared with my 10-year-old self—was this: the fastest way to improve is to practice slowly. Really, really slowly.
It all clicked in hindsight. As a kid, frustration mounted when I wasn’t improving. Unsurprisingly, I convinced myself that I had no talent and so I gave up playing the piano altogether. I wish I hadn’t.
The truth? I wasn’t improving because I wasn’t practicing effectively. And practice felt impossible because I rushed it, barreling through mistakes instead of building skill slowly, bit by bit.
Slow practice at the piano demands grit at first. You sound clunky, far from musical. Doubts creep in: Will I ever play faster? Error-free? Will this piece ever sing?
Yet, you do get better. With repetition and some curiosity for the process rather than the outcome, you make progress.
I’ve come to notice that the concept of ‘slow practice’ with some ‘curiosity’ or ‘open-mindedness’ finds a place even in movement and exercise.
Bringing it to your movement practice
When you are learning a new pose or exercise, trying performing it slowly at first. By slowing down I mean moving at a pace that helps you pay attention to what you are doing.
The slow pace will help you follow along the instructions better. It will also make you focus on good form, which is key to preventing injury.
Similarly, staying curious, open or relaxed while trying a new movement or exercise helps you stick with the learning process. You allow yourself to falter and trust that you will learn, practice and get better; albeit slowly. After all, curiosity is also what drives us to try new movements.
For example, try doing ‘high knees’— where you lift your knees towards your chest. Stand next to a chair or wall for support if you have trouble with balance.
Do high knees slowly. Notice how you shift your weight to the standing leg, then engage the hips of the other leg to raise your knee to reach the level of your hip. Repeat a few times alternating the leg you bring up.
If you do yoga, try doing Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) really slowly. Align each pose with your breath—alternating inhalation and exhalation when you extend and flex. You will notice that it helps to quieten a chattering mind because your attention shifts from the mind to your breath and your body.
A slow pace helps you stay fully present. Along with a desire to learn, which is what being ‘curious’ means—you get to observe your actions and explore what works for you.
You tap into the ‘felt sense’ of a movement or exercise. You become curious about the sensations in different parts and sides of your body and the connections between different areas of your body.
You begin to notice the connection between your feet and your hips and glutes for example. Or the connection between your hands, arms and shoulders. All these connections are important for good posture and movement.
With repetition you build muscle memory and you progress. The key to learning a movement skill or any skill and progressing is slow pace, curiosity and repetition.
My 2026 intention: Slowing down, Staying Curious
This year, I am committing to ‘slowing down’ and ‘sustaining curiosity’ as best I can.
I want to do fewer things, slowly and do them well—immersing myself into the activity. I guess ‘slowing down’ is keeping with the theme of ‘less is more’.
This might mean I read fewer books this year and read them slowly, enjoying the process. And I learn fewer pieces to play on the piano, taking my time to learn and get these pieces to a good enough standard so I can record and share.
Sometimes I can’t quite grasp what staying curious actually feels like. This is when it helps me to think of the words—open, relaxed and compassionate. Maybe a ‘wait and watch’ approach.
Curiosity isn’t my strongest trait. Although I love to learn, there are certain contexts in which my need for certainty and safety trumps my need to understand and explore.
Like for many others, my ability to stay curious ebbs and flows. Sustaining curiosity in the face of uncertainty or staying open long enough to understand is harder to do. Yet, it’s probably the best way to improve our health, life experiences and relationships.
If ‘slowing down’ builds presence, then staying curious builds patience and compassion. Paradoxically, being compassionate helps us stay curious and being curious builds compassion and empathy.
Both presence and open-mindedness are skills that can be improved with repetition and practice; in all contexts. I’m sure it won’t always be easy to either slow down or stay curious. There will be times when I will falter.
That is when I hope to give myself some grace and try again—to slow down and stay curious!
Image courtesy: Matheus Bertelli, Artofit.org