There are two ways to fix a problem.
For example, I have an unreliable connection for the monitors in my sound system. It seems like if you look at it the wrong way, it comes disconnected. Which is what happened tonight between sound check and performance. It took a song and a half to get it fixed, during which time my poor students were singing with no monitors.
It’s a quick fix. Reconnect the cable, you’re good to go. But it’s going to come disconnected again, probably at the most inconvenient moment.
This summer, I’m working on a way to permanently fix the problem. We’re replacing the connector on the amplifier with one that won’t come out. Bye bye, banana clip.
So often, we never get past the fix to the permanent fix – because it takes extra time we might not have in the moment. But finding permanent fixes will pay off over and over again, far beyond today. Whether it’s a logistical problem, a behavioral problem, a musical problem, or really any problem, ask yourself: Is this a fix or is it a permanent fix?