When I was a young musician, my parents had to bribe me to practice for lessons. Getting to watch television dangled in front of me like a carrot, only in reach once I had put in my thirty minutes. It worked, but often times my heart (and head) wouldn’t be in the practice session.
Of course, this struggle to stay motivated didn’t end once I became an adult. Practicing is incredibly difficult work. It requires extreme focus and the ability to be simultaneously critical and supportive of oneself. So, it’s no wonder why musicians often struggle with maintaining motivation. Here are five tricks that help me:
