Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of deliberate practice?

• A. Repetition
• B. Focused feedback
• C. Immediacy
• D. Spontaneity

Answer: (D)

Deliberate practice is a focused, goal-directed way to improve a skill through repeated, structured efforts and clear guidance. The repeating of specific tasks helps you build and refine the exact patterns the skill requires. Clear feedback shows you what to adjust, and doing this feedback promptly—almost immediately after each attempt—lets you apply it to the next try. This combination keeps the practice purposeful, challenging you just beyond what you can do comfortably and driving steady progress.

Spontaneity, by contrast, lacks that organized, feedback-driven structure. Practicing without a specific target, without guided corrections, and without a plan to push your limits tends not to produce the reliable, incremental improvements deliberate practice seeks. So the characteristic that isn’t part of deliberate practice is spontaneity.