"Your potential expands as you move towards it."

It is so common for students to feel they are getting worse at their instrument as they trek through their education. Teachers tend to console this feeling with the familiar line, “You aren’t getting worse. You are just more aware of all of your problems.” Then the student is left to believe that somehow he is making progress on his instrument while also being aware of the five million things that “need attention” if he is to continue to master the instrument. All the while, the student also feels like a fraud because it is close to impossible to feel good about your progress when the student, the respective private teacher, ensemble conductors, colleagues, and peers are constantly on the hunt for more aspects of his playing that could use some work. What an awful feeling! It is probably too familiar for most though.

Today, I was watching a talk given by Marisa Peer, a very accomplished therapist in Great Britain. While the entire talk deserves praise, I was particularly inspired by a certain phrase she used in passing:

“Your potential expands as you move towards it.”

Now, assess your own feelings towards yourself and your progress as a musician and technician of your instrument. If you feel like you’ve made no progress yet are aware of many more things you need to master, realize that this way of thinking 1.) holds no water, and  2.) can be changed to a more positive way of thinking. You can choose to let a negative way of thinking gain validity in your mind, or, in the spirit of the quote by Marisa Peer, choose to accept that your horizons broaden as you sail toward them.

Your potential expands as you move towards it.

The aspects of your playing that need attention are not new problems by any stretch of the imagination. You've very likely always had these weak points, and now as you uncover them in lessons, performances, and the practice room, you have a choice to make. You may view them as inadequacies or problems that suck your self-confidence away or as opportunities for growth that empower you to continue thriving as a developing musician.

You are aware of inconsistencies in your technique, not because you have developed new bad habits, but because your ears have developed the skills needed to hear nuances already present in your playing. You are constantly adjusting your pitch, not because you are out of tune, but because you know what it sounds like to play with great intonation. It is difficult to play your instrument on some days because most days it feels effortless to play. You have the choice to see your progress in this light or allow a negative perception to take away the joy found in the process of betterment.

There is, of course, an ebb and flow to your abilities on your instrument. A break through in sound production in an extreme range of the instrument may mean the other extreme suffers. Similarly, learning to play with a beautiful sound at a very loud volume might make soft entrances shaky or unresponsive. What may seem like a setback in one aspect of your playing is really an advancement in another. However, we often validate what it initially appears to be: a setback. Do not let that in. Hold your hand up to it. Do not give it the time of day. CHOOSE to think anything else!

“My abilities have shifted as I’ve improved.”

“I am more balanced as a player.”

“Finding ways of figuring out both ranges seems totally doable now.”

“Now I know of another way of changing my results.”

Think anything you want as long as it encourages you to grow towards your potential and does not let in a negative perspective! Do not accept criticism about a positive change. When you become aware of another aspect of your playing that needs attention, make a conscious decision to see if as an opportunity to grow, not as another inadequacy you need to tackle. Your potential EXPANDS as you move TOWARDS it. Progress is exponential as long as you allow it to be.

It really boils down to perspective and what you allow your mind to accept. Accept that you are getting better at your instrument through trial and error every practice session. Accept that you can be a better musician when you are more aware of your non-musical moments. Accept that you can be a better technician and craftsman when you find inconsistencies in your technique. Accept that, even in slumps along your journey, you can choose to stay true to your vision and grow towards your ever-expanding potential by not allowing your mind to accept anything else.