We all know that mastery is difficult to achieve. It takes thousands of hours of hard work. Don't kid yourself about the challenges that you face; if it was easy, everyone would be a master! When those long-term challenges are overwhelming, take refuge in your commitment to your daily practice. We make the long climb in little steps . . . just keep climbing.
Be honest with yourself about your level of commitment, and focus on the work at hand. It is normal to be frustrated, but channel that energy into moving forward, even when it feels like you are standing still. The integrity of your overall preparation depends entirely on the humble, little hours of faithful practice.
About Me
- David Pope
- Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
- Professor of Saxophone, James Madison University
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Number one: don't think about mastery. Unless it's the Kenny Werner kind of "effortless mastery"…dividing and zooming in till you only do what's easy, then gradually dialing up, back down a bit, back up a bit…
ReplyDeleteWhat it doesn't take is thousands of hours of frustration. Then there would be no masters.