The Four Stages of Competence
By Jorge Capestany, RSPA Master Professional & PTR International Master Professional
If you’ve ever felt like your game got worse right after trying to improve something…
You’re actually on the right track.
That’s because every player goes through what’s called The Four Stages of Competence.
These have major implications for skill acquisition and for making technical changes.
One of the biggest barriers to improvement is this: players start making changes, struggle with the adjustment, and then quit because their game temporarily gets worse.
Eventually, they realize those changes were necessary… so they start again, only to abandon the process once more when the same short-term decline shows up.
This cycle is common in pickleball and can be incredibly frustrating.
This process is maddening and can go on for years, leaving player stock at the same level even though they have been putting in the long hours of practice.
If this sounds like you, this blog is for you.
So what are the four stages of competence, and how do they relate to getting better at pickleball?
Below, we list them all and add a brief description.
1. Unconscious Incompetence
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At this stage, you don’t know what you’re doing wrong… and you don’t even realize it.
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Players here often feel confident, but they lack awareness.
2. Conscious Incompetence
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Now you see the problem. And honestly… this is where it gets frustrating.
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You know what you should be doing, but you can’t do it consistently yet.
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This is where most players feel like they’re getting worse.
3. Conscious Competence
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Now you can perform the skill… but only when you really focus.
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It takes effort, concentration, and intention. It is not automatic yet.
4. Unconscious Competence
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This is the goal. The skill becomes automatic.
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You don’t have to think, you do it. It becomes automatic.
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This is where confidence and performance really take off.