Another life lesson learned.....

Something my trainer, Sean McCauley, told me awhile ago when we were discussing my posing issues was "Amateurs practice until they get it right; Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong."

I have thought about that a lot since then. He is SO right and I have really tried to develop that mentality when practicing my posing. If I get a pose right when practicing at home, I do it again to see if I can get it right again! Pretty soon (hasn't happened yet), my brain and my muscles will just automatically know what to do and it will become instinctive.

I found myself quoting him, though, while teaching a violin lesson today!!!!! I love teaching private lessons because every student is different and I can challenge them all no matter what level they are on. One of my students was working on a really hard excerpt today and her fingers were fumbling through a passage; so out of the 16 note passage, we took 4 and played them over and over until she got it right at least twice (not just once). Then we added 4 more notes, and did it over and over until she got it right at least twice....you get the idea. That's when I told her what my trainer had told me and her eyes lit up when I said it! It's like she "got it", too.

I was so stoked when I realized that even though this is a life lesson I have kind of already been putting in to practice during my own violin practice sessions, it is one that applies to LIFE and anything that is a challenge!!! So, what is YOUR challenge? Don't give up on it!!!! Just keep practicing! Don't settle for the ONE TIME of getting it right...do it until you KEEP ON getting it right. Pretty soon, it will be a habit.