Practice, Practice, Practice!

I play the trumpet.

That's not news to anyone who knows me. I've been doing so since I was ten. I've even posted about it here before.

I remember the early years, when my parents compared my playing to the sound of a dying elephant.They might have been right. At the time, however, I envisioned making beautiful music. My imagination had me on the stage, playing a solo with a full symphony accompanying me, and the conductor delighted just to have me there. Did I  mention that trumpet players typically have ego issues?

I wanted to be the best trumpet player that there ever was, or at least get through "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" without playing a wrong note. To do so, I had to do something I dreaded.

Practice.

Until I put in the time, I was never going to get the result that I wanted. Natural talent will only go so far, the rest is just hard work.

I've been reminded of this principle recently as I was teaching some of my own trumpet students. They want to play "real" music, but aren't willing to put in the time to get them to that place. They want the rewards without the hard work. I find myself getting frustrated when I see how little they practice.

And then I think about myself.

I want to be a published novelist. I have visions of a book with my name on the cover. Am I putting in the time to accomplish that goal? Am I giving my best, and working hard?

Excelling at anything takes practice, and I do want to excel. What about you?