This stopped me in my tracks. I remember the day I realized that 10 years had quickly gone by and I was still wishing that I could play better. I was stunned when I realized that at this rate, I’d be 70 and have some BIG regrets. The one thing WE CAN’T CONTROL is time. It’s going to pass. It’s going to fly! 

It’s summer time - time for vacations and slower schedules.  

There will never be a convenient time for “my dream” to magically fit into my schedule. I took a hard look at the girl in the mirror and realized I was going to have to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

Here’s what motivated me.

1. I found accountability. Being honest with people in my circle or finding a circle (like the Piano Players Coaching Group) gave me the get-up-and-go I needed. Now instead of trying to talk myself out of practicing, I find ways that work for me.
2. NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU!  It was going to take real action on my part if I didn’t want to see another 10 years fly by and end up in the same boat.
3. I found ways that worked for me. I can’t consistently practice for an hour a day. So I found pockets of time (15 minutes) to work on something new. It’s manageable for my schedule and makes me feel so accomplished!

I stopped saying “I can’t”. I realized I was self-sabotaging myself before I ever got started. Instead of coming up with excuses for reasons I couldn’t get better at playing, I found ways to have small wins.

I want to be a better piano player so I gave myself permission to:

1. Make practice time messy. I don’t have to practice a new song, it can be an old favorite. I can try it in different keys. I’m not looking for perfection.
2. Make mistakes. I can play a new song for the first time, make mistakes and walk away feeling content. My goal isn’t perfection, it’s just to practice a little bit.
3. Start again tomorrow. So today was jam packed and all I want to do is sleep. I don’t consider missing a day of practice a failure. Everything will be ok. Start again tomorrow.

If I’m wanting to stay consistent during a challenging season (like summer when the boys are home) I’ve learned to make it fun. Things that work for me:

1. Play along with the original track. This makes me feel like I’m right in the middle of the service. I can really get into playing the song.
2. Practice with a STEM: Stems are like having a digital band on your computer. You can play along with other professional musicians and even mute the keyboard so it sounds like the band is really there with you.

I’d love to hear from you. What practice tricks actually helped you get better?