“Some thoughts are positive, some negative; some are happy and excited, some full of dread; some are pushing you towards the stage, while others imagine a mad dash for the exit.
When you have contradictory desires (“I want to perform” + “I don’t want to perform”), your brain is sending contradictory messages, and your muscles will gear up in an attempt to take you in (at least) two different directions at once.
In that inner conflict, you get increased muscle tension, or even start shaking—unless, making a firm decision to choose only ONE way of thinking, you then direct your mind and whole self to follow through, banishing any contradictory thoughts.
If you aren’t accustomed to taking charge of your mind to think with more one-pointed clarity on a regular basis, then when you’re backstage, fighting with yourself in a last-ditch attempt to override your panic, you certainly won’t be able to do it!
Besides contributing to performance anxiety, a lack of mental control will slow down your progress in learning anything because your body won’t receive clear messages from the brain.
When you have contradictory desires (“I want to perform” + “I don’t want to perform”), your brain is sending contradictory messages, and your muscles will gear up in an attempt to take you in (at least) two different directions at once.
In that inner conflict, you get increased muscle tension, or even start shaking—unless, making a firm decision to choose only ONE way of thinking, you then direct your mind and whole self to follow through, banishing any contradictory thoughts.
If you aren’t accustomed to taking charge of your mind to think with more one-pointed clarity on a regular basis, then when you’re backstage, fighting with yourself in a last-ditch attempt to override your panic, you certainly won’t be able to do it!
Besides contributing to performance anxiety, a lack of mental control will slow down your progress in learning anything because your body won’t receive clear messages from the brain.
When you’re practicing or performing, you need to be able to think clearly. You need to be able to think one thought at a time (with lightning speed), so as to be fully present and attentive to the notes you’re playing as you’re playing them, while ALSO being aware of what’s coming up, where you’ve just come from, and what’s happening around you.
But . . . HOW do you actually do that?
Concentration is defined as the ability to focus attention on a single object. We all know it’s absolutely necessary for a musician to develop this skill in order to learn, play well, and keep improving. In fact, the degree to which our skill evolves is in direct proportion to our ability to concentrate.
But what most people don’t know is that there are two different ways to concentrate, and our choice is critical to our overall well-being and ultimate success.”
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The above is a selection from my book, ‘Make Great Music with Ease! The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life’, which is a Finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for 2024!
You can grab a copy now using this link, and I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review if you like it! Thanks 🙂 https://a.co/d/1vMddsJ
If these ideas pique your curiosity and you’d like to learn more, just send me a private message to ask me about my online private and group programs for musicians. I’d love to have a chat with you about how I can help you make even better music with ease!
With Love,
But . . . HOW do you actually do that?
Concentration is defined as the ability to focus attention on a single object. We all know it’s absolutely necessary for a musician to develop this skill in order to learn, play well, and keep improving. In fact, the degree to which our skill evolves is in direct proportion to our ability to concentrate.
But what most people don’t know is that there are two different ways to concentrate, and our choice is critical to our overall well-being and ultimate success.”
______
The above is a selection from my book, ‘Make Great Music with Ease! The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life’, which is a Finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for 2024!
You can grab a copy now using this link, and I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review if you like it! Thanks 🙂 https://a.co/d/1vMddsJ
If these ideas pique your curiosity and you’d like to learn more, just send me a private message to ask me about my online private and group programs for musicians. I’d love to have a chat with you about how I can help you make even better music with ease!
With Love,
Jennifer 
Are you curious to try a more holistic approach to music-making so you can break through to the next level on your artistic journey with ease?