Thursday, August 13, 2015

Practice the Hard Parts First

Zestful Blog Post #119

When I was a young musician my teacher told me, "Practice the hard parts first." Because it's so tempting, especially for a youngster, to practice the easy stuff and sort of forget about the tough stuff—trusting that somehow it’ll come—until we get caught out in an audition or performance and we stumble exactly where every other loser stumbles.

I’ve ignored that advice to my regret, followed it to my satisfaction, and dispensed it many times over the years. It’s excellent advice for anyone, at any age, who’s dedicated to doing something well.


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5 comments:

  1. I take the same approach to my graphic design work. By getting the hardest part of a project done helps the rest flow. It is how I got over an early habit of procrastination since the "worst" was over.

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  2. Hey Marj, great to see you here. Yeah, it sure does help squash the procrastination bug. Thanks for looking in.

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  3. That's what my piano teachers have always said. Very good advice! Thanks, E

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  4. Yeah, it certainly can be said, 'Do the hard parts first' as well as 'Practice the hard parts first.'

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