The Role Of Positive Reinforcement In Our Chess Improvement Journey

Today I want to discuss the role of approval/recognition in our chess improvement journey.⁣

The 3-Step Process Of Skill Acquisition

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The fundamental process of how we improve at chess is to:⁣
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1. Do something⁣
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2. Get feedback⁣
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3. Adapt or reinforce a pattern based on that feedback. ⁣
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However, we obtain feedback in many other ways than just skill acquisition. ⁣

Psychological Feedback

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We also receive feedback on the psychological level, that has the potential to push us toward a particular direction or pull us away from it. ⁣
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Facebook posts are a good example, in fact. A common psychological pitfall of frequent posters is to focus on what will get the most positive reinforcement (likes, comments) as opposed to what message will be most congruent with that person's purpose (their why behind writing). ⁣
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(Some may say that the approval/recognition is the why, but in that case, there will inevitably be a deeper motivation behind getting that approval in this form, as opposed to other ways). ⁣

How This Applies To Chess

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Returning to chess, we are much more likely to improve when the actions helping our chess the most are positively reinforced on a reliable basis. ⁣
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It's natural to assume that will come through our chess results, but there is enough variance in our form and our opponents' form on a given day that we can't reliably equate our efforts in the day to improvement without a large sample size. (Even then, it is very easy for us to fool ourselves, as I can attest from personal experience). ⁣

The Timing Of Recognition

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It's most effective when the approval/recognition for our effort comes very soon after completing our task (whether that's analyzing our last 5 blitz games, solving tactics puzzles, quickly playing through 10 instructive, annotated games on the one theme, etc). ⁣

Effort Over Results

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Note that I have said effort, rather than results, as attachment to results in the long term is likely to lead to misery, due to chess improvement not being an entirely linear process. But while results are not always in our immediate control, our effort always is, and this focus helps to keep ego out of our way in our improvement journey. ⁣

The Power Of Like-Minded Community

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I think this loop of positive reinforcement is also a big reason why people typically improve faster when part of a group with similar goals, as opposed to doing things on their own. ⁣
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A private coach can provide positive reinforcement ('well done', 'good effort', 'thank you for being so engaged during the lesson', 'it was a pleasure to help you today', and so forth). But when this is coming from our peers each day, and we see their growth, it inspires us to keep going with our journey. It helps to quell any doubts on whether what we are striving for is indeed realistic/feasible for us and to remind us of the greater purpose behind our actions. ⁣

The Limitations Of Positive Reinforcement

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At the same time, there is another element to consider with the feedback loop - can we become too reliant on extrinsic motivation in our journey of improvement? ⁣
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I definitely believe so, based on my own experience - for many years, a big personal motivation behind chess coaching was to give my family a much better life. But my family had a very different perspective and desires to me (focusing more on security rather than growth) and this led to interpersonal conflicts, as it is unreasonable to force your wants onto someone else, or to try to interfere and foster changes in them that they are unwilling to make. ⁣

The Motivation Trap

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If approval/recognition becomes the main reason for improving at chess, we will likely feel very hollow inside, even when we achieve our goals, because we will then understand that we cannot control how others think and perceive us. (and even if we could, we would be so incongruent with our true selves that it would also lead to suffering). ⁣

The Right Types Of Support

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To my mind, the ideal balance is:⁣
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1. Get very clear on your purpose behind the chess journey you are on. Not limited to what you are trying to gain from it, but the 'why behind the why'. Go deeper and deeper until you feel that purpose electrifying you, that it is part of who you are.⁣
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2. To combat the natural human resistance to change, find a group of people going through a similar journey, who make you feel good, and engage with them each day. (Likewise, minimize interactions with those people who demotivate you from continuing on your journey). ⁣
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3. Find a mentor to guide you through this journey, so that you can learn the key lessons (for chess and for life) that you may otherwise miss on your own. Focusing on the teachings of one mentor will allow you to avoid confusion, and help you to trust the process (one of the most valuable qualities for success - a good topic for another post). ⁣

How To Maximize Value From A Mentor

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To get the most out of this mentor, it will be important to engage actively with their teachings. This is not limited to answering their questions - it includes asking questions of your own. Being vulnerable in sharing your struggles is a superpower - it is much better to look foolish for a minute in training than for a lifetime on the field. (When we continually do what is hard, life starts getting much easier)⁣

Conclusion - Why This Matters To You

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My own vision is to deliver on all three elements, so that you have an effective model for improving any aspect of your life, that you can translate the lessons from your chess journey directly to your life (career, relationships, personal growth), and of course, that you improve your chess as much as possible. ⁣
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Chess is one of the few areas where we can enjoy a feeling of progress that is very visibly in our control, and you deserve to enjoy that feeling of progress on a daily basis.