Practicing is Boring! - Part 6 - Attitude

Robert J. Lawrence (Jimmy)


Finally, let’s deal with the concept that practice is boring in the first place. Practice is not a necessary “evil.” It is a rewarding experience that helps us refine our craft and furthers our enjoyment of music itself. If we approach practice with the assumption that it is “boring,” then we are setting ourselves up to subconsciously find things that make it so. We can change our attitudes toward the practice of practice – and the following should help:

Look at the big picture
I’m not just talking about the music you’re working on. I really mean the big picture. Why do we practice? What does practice do for us? How far do we want to go? Really, there is no end to the development of our musical skills. Even tenured virtuosos have things they strive to improve on. They practice, too – probably more than you or I. Marco Minnemann, arguably one of the most coordinated and time-warping virtuoso drummers out there has said that he’ll often practice up to eight hours in a day. EIGHT! Can you imagine!? And he even has a coach! Practice is what will get us where we want to be and beyond. And you’ll discover that there is always something new that inspires you to keep learning. This is a good thing, and should be embraced!

Think about your goals
Goal setting is so important. I know only a few that can aimlessly wander through their journey and still become proficient at their trades. Most of us, however, should understand what we are working toward, and gauge our progress in order to continue to set new goals. You can think about goals in many different ways:

• Immediate goals – What do I want to accomplish right now? These goals should be designed to be attainable.
• Short-term goals – What do I want to accomplish today, or this week? You should also use your judgment and experience to help make these goals attainable (your teacher can help).
• Long-term goals – Where do I want to be next month, next year? These goals are harder to judge whether they are too much of a stretch or not – but it doesn’t mean these goals need to be static. You can always alter your goals based on your progress; there’s nothing wrong with that!
• Distant goals – What do I want out of my life of musicianship? These goals are loftier, perhaps lending more to ideals than truly reachable goals. It doesn’t mean they’re out of reach, necessarily, but I would think of them more as what I hope to attain sometime in life.

For most of us, setting and reaching meaningful and attainable goals is very rewarding and encouraging. But most of all, we are seeking to improve ourselves, and having/setting standards to meet will help you when you reflect later on how far you have come in your journey.

What are your experiences with goal-setting? Share with us in the comments below!