Motivation

Do you sometimes have a hard time getting motivated to practice? Let’s look at what motivates you.

There are two types of motivation: extrinsic (from without) and intrinsic (from within). Both are important, but sometimes extrinsic motivations (your teacher, an upcoming audition, competition, a practice goal, your mom) can be associated with pain, fear, and self-loathing (What if I lose? What if I fail? Will my mom still be proud of me? etc…).

Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is completely painless; it comes only from the love of doing. The great thing is that we all have it to begin with and it is always there deep within us. Intrinsic motivation is associated with our personal identity. So, listen to that quiet inner voice saying things such as: I like being a bass player. I love it when I feel the low notes go through my body. The music that I make is unique and totally mine. I like the challenge of working out the details of how to play. Being in a band is cool.

Have a happy practice…

Tags: Motivation, practice