Do I Have What It Takes?
Sometimes questions are meaningless.
Growth
Kinds of Smart
My son said, “You’re smarter than me.”
Just Because Something is Easy
Just because something is easy doesn’t mean you’re not learning.
Learning Sounds Messy
Zip your lips and let ’em go.
You Can’t Wait Till You’re Ready
You’ll never start. I’ve had a lot of students over the years who knew they were going to accomplish something specific – as soon as they were ready. “I’m going to be a composer, once I’ve taken all the classes to have the skills.” “I’m going to write a book, […]
Lower The Stakes
What are you trying to get better at? What are the stakes you’ll have when you’re good and how can you lower those stakes now? I got good at writing by lowering the stakes. If I had sat down at my computer and said, “I’m going to write an essay […]
It’s An Assignment
I tend not to think about the projects I work on as jobs. I think of them as educational assignments. The projects are there to help me learn a lesson, develop a skill, or chart a path towards whatever I’m going to do in the future. My writing here? Helping […]
When the Group Locks
Pity it happens at the end. One of the great tragedies of school ensembles is that they end just when the group locks. My ensemble learned new notes and basic choreography in mere minutes today – things that would have taken much more time in September. They lock because they […]
Strong Emotions
Strong emotions are valuable messages, if we take the time to listen. I’m just home from our choirs’ farewell concert, complete with all the tears that traditionally accompany its end. Those sorts of strong emotions help to tell us what we value. Even when we can’t necessarily verbalize our values, […]
Lack Of Motivation
It’s easy to think that lack of motivation connotes lack of interest: if I’m not motivated to work on something, it must mean I’m not interested in it. The truth is more complicated. I might lack motivation because I’m tired. I might lack motivation because the goal is so distant […]