Progress doesn’t just come from how many hours I practice. It also comes from how I practice.
While I can't directly control the ball on each swing in golf, I can directly control higher order functions that in turn control the ball. Looking at the ball, following through, not squeezing the grip, etc.
While I can’t guarantee winning any particular game in chess, I can increase the overall rate of improvement. I was falling into the trap of “fake practice”, as Youtuber GothamChess calls it. Fake practice refers to playing games without analysis or review. I learned the lesson that simply working more hours can result in a decrease in ELO rating. I sunk more and more hours in and saw my ELO dropping further and further.
To address this, I implemented a practice system where I limited myself to three games per day. The results have been clear - my chess ELO has steadily improved from 1500 to 1750 in four weeks. This system has allowed me to dedicate time to analyzing each game and only play when I am not distracted, ensuring I don't waste any games.
A practice system is a set of higher-order rules that you can directly control, which guide how you practice. This, combined with intentional reflection and analysis, will lead to a higher rate of improvement.