Goals are important…. But, more focus should be placed on the process of gaining the goal, and not the goal itself… having a goal is important as a guide, you want to have great performances and sing great in the studio, but the steps or the process is where you should place most of your attention. The end result will follow if the steps and the process of getting there is what you are focused on…
One of my favorite teachers, Maestro David Kyle, used to use an analogy of a boxer. Part of what he was trying to get me to understand was that the boxer trains in the gym day after day, focusing on every little detail of how is body is moving and where the position of his body is best utilized. Each step of the training became an end in itself. Among other things, he trains aerobically, he trains to become stronger, faster and have more endurance, so that when he steps in the ring he is completely prepared to reach his goal and win the fight. The point is if he didn’t focus on the practice he must do everyday in the gym, he wouldn’t be able to win the fight or attain his end goal.
Singing is much the same way. If you focus on your practice and your rehearsal, your goal of a great performance will follow effortlessly! If you want to improve your performance focus your attention on the process of developing your tools (your body and voice) for the job, not the end result.
If you focus on the end result and not the process you may get some immediate results but you will sacrifice substance and this sacrifice will take it’s toll on you and your performance over time.
I realize I’m not telling you anything new, just a reminder to pay more attention to the “how” of things….
And one more thought that will make this all easier … In order to be great, you must learn to get free of the fear of failure… think on that one and happy practicing…
Great post! It's such a paradox, isn't it? Do you think it would help to separate our goals, one being vocal training, two being performance? The one being the how, and other being the why, and being very conscious of which goal is appropriate for what you are doing?
ReplyDeleteFor example, when practicing martial arts you would practice skills and coordinating sets of movements... In a fight you would be conscious of automatically using what you've learned in practice, to defend yourself and win the fight. What are your thoughts, Jilla?