Progress, not perfection!

Over the years I have noticed a trend among my students. Young and old alike. The expectation of perfection. The idea that anything new, must be mastered immediately. I am noticing in their reactions as they try something new, brand new.

The idea that we need to master anything new immediately is counter productive. I encourage my students to have patience with themselves. I introduce the idea of a slow, relaxed approach to anything new. I also teach my students how to break a large task into smaller, more manageable tasks to be rebuilt later in the process. This approach can also be used in all aspects of life.

Problem solving skills are important when learning an instrument or a language as music is a new language. I teach my students how to read, write, and speak music. But first they need to understand that a new skill may take time to learn and that patience is key. Otherwise, the impulse to give up out of frustration may pop up.

Anything we take on in life may prove to be challenging. We must make sure that we give ourselves a chance to succeed! That goes for all of us!

Titan club, Lens, Belgium