If you have a goal for achievement in music and it’s overwhelming, here are some strategies that will help.
Simplify it: by Giving Yourself Time
One of the most powerful ways to reverse overwhelm is to simplify your goal by giving yourself more time.
Turn that goal you have of learning a song in it's entirety, all in one day, into giving yourself permission to take a week or two. If it's too hard after many smart daily efforts, reconsider moving to a less advanced song and work up to the harder one. More on that in Roll with the Unexpected.
It’s okay to take long amounts of time to grow at something. This is very much a natural part of life. In such situations we will feel more stressed and frustrated the more we work against this process.
Acknowledge the Small Wins
Celebrate the victories that seem small along the way, by noting what was successful. This will help you remember that you are capable, growing, and going in the right direction.
For instance, noticing “I feel a little stronger on the chorus of this song now, my efforts are paying off” or “I am able to play it a few beats per minute faster than I could yesterday.”
Bringing awareness to your progress, however minor (no pun intended), will help you to start to enjoy the growth process and feel accomplished more often.
Roll with the Unexpected
Sometimes, something unexpected happens along the way to achieving our goals, such as choosing a piece that proves to be more difficult than we had anticipated.
Here's an example: A pianist is trying to perform a song that has always inspired him. However, after long hours and days of trying, he realizes he doesn't quite have the finger stamina to perform such a technically advanced piece. Thus, he must roll with the unexpected by seeking to add chop-building exercises to his practice routine, which will enable him to finally perform this advanced piece of music he has always loved.
So it can feel really frustrating when this happens because it feels like we are moving backwards, but in actuality, we are moving forward; the more we can expect the unexpected and know that it's a good indicator of where our work-focus needs to be.
P.S.
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