Practice Makes "Perfect"

So the old aphorism isn't always right. I have heard a variation "perfect practice makes perfect" which certainly makes more sense, but doesn't sound nearly as good. When I read a lot, I've found my reading get faster. When I swim more, my lap times get shorter. When I'm consistently on a bike, I get stronger. After college, I've found that the same is true of my writing. I feel like I struggle to come up with words (not creating new ones, just picking the most appropriate/applicable one...ha, case in point - this thought process) that I feel should be no problem with my B.A. in English. Hopefully reading more will help, even if it is just Science Fiction and Fantasy novels during my diner break.