Time & You

StudyBassers! I want to discuss two major learning obstacles I watch students struggle with.

Time

Learning music isn’t easy. If it were, everyone you know would play well. Think of all of the people you know. It’s likely the majority of them can’t play music well or at all. It’s not that they are incapable. They just can’t or don’t want to invest the time it takes to learn. Learning takes time and requires consistent practice, application and review. Without putting in the time, it will never happen for anyone.

Carving out the time in your life to do it is the single biggest obstacle to learning. You can have the desire, the gear, the practice material, the teacher, the talent, but none of that will matter without the time.

I’ve personally watched several thousand students take on this music-learning challenge. The ones who have always done best were the ones who set aside a consistent one to two hours a day every day. The next best were those who did something every day. Some days 15 minutes, other days an hour. The ones who saw slower progress were the ones who did it when they felt like it or had “free time.”

The idea of “free time” is problematic. Our current world is designed to steal every bit of your time it can–probably to sell you something or collect data to sell you something later. I know that’s cynical, but you can’t win a battle if you don’t know you’re in one. Realize you are in a constant fight for your time. Your time has value and other people want it. To be the musician you want to be, you have to master fighting for your time. You have to Bruce Lee the clock.

You

Creating time to learn is one problem, but there’s another one–you! Specifically, not enough self-respect. I don’t mean you hate yourself. I mean you are likely more respectful of others than yourself. Think about it. If you tell your friend you will pick them up at the airport, you will most likely follow-through and do it. You wouldn’t just not show up. You need to have the same level of respect and follow-through for yourself as you do for your friend. You need to pick yourself up at the airport!

Why, though, is it so easy to let yourself down? Why is it easy to put yourself aside and put off something that you really want in your life? It’s because you’re the only one in the transaction. It’s just you. It’s not another person you are letting down. You won’t be embarrassed and your reputation won’t suffer. You don’t lose any social points. But, this is important. You matter. Your goals matter. Your music–literally or metaphorically–matters.

I’m not suggesting you abandon all of your responsibilities. But, you need to realize you matter, and you deserve to treat yourself well like you treat others.

Some of you may feel guilty or selfish putting in time for yourself. There’s a distinction between selfishness and self-respect you need to remember. Selfishness is treating yourself better than you treat others; self-respect is treating yourself as well as you treat others. You shouldn’t feel guilt for treating yourself with the same respect you give others. It’s fair.

Here’s a perspective I offer students:

Learn to see yourself as two people: Now-You and Future-You. Let’s nickname Future-You  “Futey.”

Futey is your friend. They should probably be your best friend because, of all your friends, Futey isn’t ever going anywhere.

As it turns out, Futey is a great musician. Why? Because Now-You followed-through on all of those commitments and promises to that other person Futey.

You don’t disrespect your friends. If you tell them you’re going to do something for them, you do it, right? Now-You showed up for all of those appointments with Futey. Now-You kept all of those promises made to that other person Futey. Now-You always picked Futey up at the airport when they asked. Now-You always took Futey to all of those lessons and practice sessions.

Now get this. Not only did Now-You always respectfully make all of those daily practice appointments with Futey, you and Futey had a great time at all of those meetings! It was a blast! You both had years of good times together.

Learn to see yourself as these two independent people. You and Futey. BFFs, Best buds. Put your meetings with Futey in your calendar just like you would any other friend. Do not let that person down! Don’t tell Futey, “Yeah, maybe I’ll be there.” It would be one thing to leave a friend stranded at the airport, but could you imagine sabotaging and ruining one of your friend’s hopes and dreams? Repeatedly?! If it happened enough do you think they would still want to be friends? Give Futey the respect they deserve.

Now I have to tell you one troubling thing about your friend Futey. Unlike your other friends, Futey only has one friend–you. No one else is going to help Futey but you.

Futey is not just asking you; your dear friend Futey is begging you for these meetings. Do not let Futey down. You and Futey both deserve it!