Your Own Way

The best way to get better at something is to copy someone who is already good at it.  Follow their tips and tricks, but don’t blindly follow everything they say and do.  After a while, if you care enough and practice enough, you can eventually get better than them and devise your own methods.

In the movie Cool Runnings, about the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team, the main character idolizes the Swiss athletes.  In an attempt to help his team improve their time, they begin their countdown like the Swiss, saying, “eins zwei drei” before their run.  They also observe the discipline of the Swiss team and put more effort into their newfound sport.  Over time though, they discover that the best method is simply to act like themselves, and not try to conform to the ways of someone else.