I think training for steno is akin to an athlete preparing for stellar athletic performances. I’m reading an autobiography written by an athlete.

In the tome, the football player/author is recovering from an injury. His doctor gives him the following advice, which I think will be valuable to court reporters as well:

“I want you to listen very carefully to me, Gale. Your God-given talent is what you do instinctively, by reflex. What you’re doing now subconsciously is holding back. You’re trying to think yourself into doing what you should be doing instinctively. In other words, if you have to stop and think, it changes your timing. The reflex action which you could do so gracefully and so well- you can’t do that any more, not if you’re going to stop and think. Because you can’t send the message down to your legs quickly enough to make them do what you have to do. You’ve just got to stop thinking how you’re going to dodge this guy, just go out and do your thing. When you can go out and do your thing without stopping to think, you’re going to be running the way you did before.” -From, “I Am Third” By: Gale Sayers