Don’t do a technique 5 times and wait for the instructor to tell you WHAT’S NEXT. Do the technique 500 times and wait for the instructor to tell you to STOP.
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Researchers who have investigated expert and novice performance have uncovered important distinctions between ‘deliberate practice’ and repetition alone.
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Deliberate practice is not the same as rote repetition. Rote repetition — simply repeating a task — will not by itself improve performance. Deliberate practice involves attention, rehearsal and repetition, and leads to new knowledge or skills. Although other factors such as intelligence and motivation affect performance, deliberate practice is necessary for acquiring expertise.
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Teachers and students should think of practice not as rote repetition, but as deliberate, goal-directed rehearsal, paired with a problem-solving process or task.
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Because deliberate practice requires intense, focused effort, students may not find it inherently enjoyable. Therefore, teachers can encourage students to practice more by pointing out every time that their practice has actually improved their performance.
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Teachers should target practice tasks with students existing knowledge in mind. When students succeed at these tasks, the benefits of practice are maximized.
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Students can become frustrated with unrealistic or poorly designed practice. They often lose motivation, and will not receive the full benefits of the work they have done, and will be less motivated to attempt any further practice.
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Students receive the greatest benefits from their efforts when teachers provide them with timely, descriptive and positive feedback.
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Remember, it’s not “practice makes perfect”; it’s “perfect practice makes perfect.”…. So practice, practice, practice — but thoughtfully and with relevant goals in mind. 
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