Subconscious virtuosity…

Do you know what is Subconscious virtuosity?

Two novels underscore this point! The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and The Key to Mastery by Robert Greene.

It is basically a part and parcel of your skill! Every driver and most professional is blessed with it!

This is the reason why you always look for experienced drivers or doctors or surgeons! Why you always like to listen to those who have sung many songs and take advice from those with the ‘numbers!’

The term as such refers to the state of effortlessly performing complex skills with mastery and grace, seemingly without conscious thought.

This happens when a person has practiced a skill so extensively that it moves from the conscious mind to the subconscious, allowing for quick, fluid, and intuitive action! Now driving is a skill which most get very quick, but to get lightning reflex on how to apply brakes suddenly or steer in the right direction comes like a reflex and this has to happen subconsciously! Even before you think!

Now for a skill to become a form of subconscious virtuosity, it moves through several phases:

The first is the conscious effort which is taken when first learning a new skill. Here the  person must use their conscious mind to focus intently on each step. The brain’s neural pathways for this task are new and inefficient, requiring significant mental effort.

The next step is the most important! Repetition and practice! With enough practice, the subconscious mind learns to perform the task automatically. Repetitive action and thought strengthens the neural pathways in the brain.

Finally you move on to the level of Automatic processing! In this level the skill becomes a habit controlled by the subconscious, which operates much faster and handles a much higher volume of information than the conscious mind. This allows the conscious mind to focus on other aspects of the performance, such as expressing musical emotion or adapting to new variables!

Of course you do have day to day examples but there are some who are exceptional in this!

Like a musician playing a complex piece! A virtuoso musician can execute thousands of notes with flawless technique while consciously focusing on the musical narrative and emotional expression, not on the individual finger movements! You can literally see the fingers flying!

An elite athlete in competition like a gymnast, can perform an intricate routine with apparent effortlessness because their subconscious is handling the countless micro-adjustments needed for balance and movement.

There are many such examples and all you need to realize is that the best way to get the automatism is Practice!

You must consistently program your subconscious mind through disciplined practice.

You can also use empowering self-talk to align your subconscious beliefs with your conscious goals. This can help break down mental barriers that might hold you back and finally all this would only happen with a calm mind which can be achieved by Mindfulness and meditation.


In the Novel Mastery by Robert Greene; the author also tells us the power of Visualization!

Here you must mentally rehearse your performance or desired outcome or goals!  Visualization reinforces neural pathways and prepares your subconscious to act instinctively!

In the same novel he talks about the amazing work done by Dame Valerie Jane Morris Goodall!

She will be missed…

But you had an amazing life! Take a bow….

Heart felt condolences

Om Shanthi…