How do we continuously improve the things we do as we progress through our daily lives? We learn from others. On the day we were born, we knew nothing about the world. All of our knowledge was built upon the works of others.
Back from the beginning of humanity, humans learned better ways to provide shelter, gather and hunt for food, and clothe themselves. These better ways were handed down and improved upon over generations of humans.
After writing was invented, these better ways could be recorded as practices. Today, all of us can benefit from the collective best practices of millions of past thinkers. This knowledge lets us live better, more efficient, and more effective lives.
How do we use practices to lead our actions? By carefully selecting the appropriate ones and tailoring them to our unique needs. If everyone followed every practice, we would be too busy to get anything done. There is an optimum use of practices to govern our lives.