The Mind Over Finger Podcast - 171 Mastery Pitfalls

Episode Date: May 12, 2023

In this episode, we explore the common pitfalls that can arise on the path to mastery.  From conflicting ways of life to obsessive goal orientation, over competitiveness, injuries, and more, we discuss how to recognize and overcome these challenges on the road to success.   EXCITING NEWS! ®®®   Enrollment for the Music Mastery Experience, the most comprehensive, life-changing, highly personalized group coaching program for musicians is now open! In the, Music Mastery Experience we cover everything from practice methods that work, to performance preparation strategies that have you perform with confidence, and mind management techniques that will remove all the obstacles and self-limiting beliefs that hold you back. BUT: you will go beyond just strategies and methods.  You will get to the root cause of issues and unlock everything that's keeping you stuck.  You will experience amazing results at every level of your music-making and of your life. If you're ready to make big dreams, plans, and more happen in your musical life, book a call today at MindOverFinger.com and let's make it happen.   DOWNLOAD THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THIS EPISODE HERE   Join my mailing list HERE and become a Mind Over Finger VIP member!   As a VIP member, you will you receive my free guide to a highly productive practice, a transcript of each new podcast episode delivered to your inbox every week, and all the insider information about my coaching programs, including VIP prices on most of them.  March bonus: get 10$ off the Performance Anxiety Solution when you join the mailing list HERE!   Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me HERE!   Mind Over Finger Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox. Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community  for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians. www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/     THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme:  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.

You're listening to The Mind Over Finger Podcast, episode number 171. Welcome to The Mind Over Finger Podcast, discussions on mindful music making, efficient practice, optimal performance, and building a purposeful life and fulfilling career. I'm your host, violinist and certified performance and life coach for musicians, Dr. René-Paul Gauthier. Hello, everyone. I hope this has been a fantastic day for you so far. I'm so glad that you're tuning in, and I hope you'll find some value in today's episode. As you might know, we've been exploring the topic of mastery for the past few weeks on the podcast, and the inspiration for this

series of episodes came from me rereading one of my favorite books, Mastery, the Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment by George Leonard. And today, we're going to cover a very important chapter in the book where he discusses the many pitfalls that we might encounter along the path to mastery and how we can overcome them. And before we dive in to this super fun topic, I have a question or two for you. Are you looking to level up? Are you feeling stuck in your performing career? Do you dream of playing a winning audition or booking more gigs or lending that teaching position or finally achieving your full potential on stage? If so, I have an opportunity for you that could change your life forever. Join me for a life-changing transformation

inside the Music Mastery Experience starting June 1st. Together, we're going to dream big and make it happen. You have the talent, you have the passion, you have the drive. And now it's time to take your musical journey to the next level. Join the Music Mastery Experience and let us help you achieve your wildest dreams. So tell me and say it out loud. Are you ready to start your journey towards success? If this was a big yes for you, head over to mindoverfinger.com and schedule your free

conversation with me. Together, let's create a personalized plan that will help you reach your goals and make your musical aspirations a reality. believe me i know it can be tough to take that first step and commit to something new but trust me when i say that all of this is possible don't let fear hold you back this is your chance to take control of your career and transform it into everything you've ever wanted remember all of this is possible, let's do it together. So go to mindoverfinger.com slash mme right now and let's get started. I have that link for you in the show notes. All right, let's talk about those pitfalls

and see how we can overcome them. As you've heard me say in previous episodes, mastery is a journey and like any journey, it's not always a smooth ride. There are obstacles and challenges we face that can either hold us back or propel us forward, depending on what our attitude about them is. Now, that road to mastery that I keep talking about, it looks different for every one of us, and there are so many nuances. The purpose of this episode is only to raise your awareness, not to be taken as a recipe book of the things you should or shouldn't do. So always leave the door open for your own opinion and experiment with the things that work for you. And as you're listening, notice if anything is thought-provoking for you. And if so, try to pinpoint why. Notice if

any of these pitfalls resonate with you and if you've encountered them on your own path. If so, don't worry. You're not alone. These are common pitfalls that probably most people encounter. The key is to recognize them and develop strategies to work with and around them. Okay, let's dive in. The first pitfall that George Leonard discusses is what he calls the conflicting ways of life. As he explains, when we pursue mastery, we often have to make sacrifices and prioritize our craft over some other areas of our lives. This can create conflict with our family, friends, and other aspects of our life. So it's important to find a balance and not let that pursuit of mastery consume us completely.

And for sure, there are going to be times when we need to put things aside and focus intensely on our preparation for an important concert or audition. But thinking long term, we should strive to find a relative harmony, no pun intended, between our craft and the other aspects of our life. The second pitfall is obsessive goal orientation. Okay, having goals is important, but becoming too fixated on them can really slow down our progress. Instead of focusing only on the end goal, we should focus on the process and enjoy the journey. Mastery is not just about achieving a goal. It's about this constant pursuit of improvement. And I love the analogy that Leonard uses there. And I quote, when you're climbing a

mountain, be aware that the peak is ahead, but don't keep looking up at it. Keep your eyes on the path. And when you reach the top of the mountain, as the Zen saying goes, keep on climbing. how beautiful is that okay another common pitfall on the path to mastery is what he calls poor instruction but i am not in love with this qualification so i'm gonna call it ill-fitting instruction that's a topic i hear so much about all the time and you heard me talk about it at length in episode 158 where I discuss teaching. Not all teachers are created equal, and not every teacher's style matches our learning style. When it's mismatched, a student-teacher pairing can lead to frustration for both parties, actually. It can lead to confusion and even injury and trauma.

So it's important to seek out quality instruction that works for us and not be afraid to switch teacher if necessary. A good teacher should be able to provide clear guidance, offer constructive feedback, and tailor instruction to your individual needs and abilities. I also believe they should create a trusting and respectful environment. The other side of the coin is to make sure, as I covered in the previous episode on mastery, that we are open to instruction, open to learning, open to stepping outside of our comfort zone and surrendering to the teaching. Having said that, I love what Leonard says about staying open-minded to the instruction, but to not see a teacher as a guru.

So keep sight of who you are and the way you do things as you experiment with what is shared with you. Okay, moving on. The fourth pitfall, according to Leonard, is a lack of competitiveness. But I find that to be a very touchy topic. And I know that personally, I would never endorse any type of environment that offers a potentially toxic competitive atmosphere. So I'm going to rather direct this towards inspiration and aspiration. So let's talk about what happens when we face a lack of inspiration and aspiration. Without a clear vision of where we want to go or what we want to achieve, it can be tough to stay motivated and make progress towards mastery.

And without incentives, it can also be very difficult. We can find inspiration from those who have achieved greatness in our field or from our own inner sense of purpose and passion. Aspiring towards a higher goal can give us the drive and energy we need to overcome obstacles and stay committed to our practice. And this leads us to the next pitfall, which is over-competitiveness. When we become too focused on winning and beating others. When we do that, we lose sight of the bigger picture.

So we should strive to compete with ourselves and focus on improving our own skills rather than trying to beat others. The sixth pitfall, according to Leonard, is laziness. But I think many of you might have an issue with this term, the same way that I do. So here again, let's go with something different and talk about inertia and loss of motivation. When we hit a plateau or encounter obstacles, it can be tough to keep going and find the motivation to continue. So stay connected with your purpose and what got you to pursue mastery in the first place. One thing I also strongly encourage you to do is to dig deep and aim to seek clarity within yourself.

Where is the loss of motivation coming from? I don't need to say more here, but remember that I covered this at length in previous episodes. So revisit episode 157 about motivation and episodes 153 and 154 on how to gain clarity on what you're thinking and feeling. Also, don't be afraid to seek support and encouragement from others. And why not enlist a coach to help you with all of this? You know that I think coaching is magical, so I'm always going to encourage you to look for support. Okay, the seventh pitfall is injuries. It's important to listen to our bodies and take care of ourselves, both physically and mentally. Because as you know, when we push ourselves to the limit, we put ourselves at risk

for injuries and then nothing happens. So be very intentional with the way you manage your energy and constantly aware of your needs. And also, please always seek professional help when necessary to prevent and treat injuries. The next pitfall is prizes and medals. And I think in this, he also includes the need for external validation. As he mentions, studies show that while rewarding school children with Golsars initially speeds up their learning, the progress soon levels off and stops when the rewards are taken away. External recognition can be a source of motivation, of course, but it can also become an obsession. We should strive to focus on our own internal motivation and not rely on external recognition for validation. Okay, moving on to the ninth

pitfall in this episode, vanity. This one always makes me smile because at first it sounds a little bit dated, but is it really? Come on, admit it. Vanity is definitely around in 2023. When we become too focused on our own image and reputation, we might lose sight of our craft. So we should focus on the pursuit of improvement rather than our own ego. Also, as Leonard brilliantly puts it, To learn something new of any significance, you have to be willing to look foolish. So bring all of your beautiful humanity with you on the journey. The number 10 pitfall I have for you today is what he calls dead seriousness. Again, I'm smiling at the term, but I kind of love it.

I totally agree. When we take ourselves too seriously, we lose our sense of humor and enjoyment of the process. So stay playful. Keep it light in all of its importance. If you take it too seriously, it's going to be heavy. It's going to crush you. So think about dead seriousness, my friends. when things get too grim take a deep breath and see how you can find a way to smile and reconnect

with what's amazing and joyful for you in all of this number 11 is inconsistency right you know this when we like consistency in our practice we slow down our progress so create a routine and stick to it as much as you can even when you don't feel like it. And you know I have a podcast about that, right? Commit to regular practice even if it's just a small amount each day. This is going to build your momentum and you're going to notice massive progress over time. I was talking about the concept of aggregation of marginal gain in one of my Music Mastery Experience bonus training a few days ago. The idea of the aggregation of marginal gains is all about making lots of small improvements that can add up to a big impact over time. You stay consistent and you focus on many

small incremental changes that, when aggregated, can make a significant difference. It's kind of like the saying, every little bit counts. By focusing on making small improvements consistently over time, we can achieve greater success than if we just try to make one big change. So consistency rules, my friends. Now, the final pitfall for today is perfectionism. So for sure, while it's important to aim for excellence and do our best, focusing too much on perfection can and most likely will be detrimental to our progress. I'm sure none of you are surprised when you hear me say this. When we become fixated on achieving perfection, we can become paralyzed by fear or failure, and then we're hesitant to take risks or try new things. This prevents us from learning and

growing because mistakes and failures are very often the best opportunities for growth and improvement. So for example, let's say you're learning to play a new piece. If you're too focused on playing perfectly, you might become too nervous to play it in front of others or you might give up practicing altogether because you're not able to play flawlessly right away. But if you shift your focus to progress instead of perfection, you might be more willing to take risks, to try new techniques, and to accept feedback from others. And I'm sure you can see how this will help you improve more quickly and ultimately become a better musician. And the same principle applies in all areas of life as well. Whether you're working on the project at home, learning a new

skill, or pursuing a personal goal, it's important to remember that progress is more important than perfection. You've heard this time and time again, I know, but we can never repeat it enough. So focus on progress and this way you can overcome your fear of failure your fear of taking risks and you can learn from your mistakes and when you do that you don't just improve your skills and abilities you build your confidence and your resilience okay my friend so what can we do to overcome these pitfalls the first and most important step is to simply notice them by simply noticing these pitfalls, they will begin to lose their power over you. Then I recommend getting back into alignment with your values and your purpose. Take a deep breath. Pause. Think

about why you're doing what you're doing. And finally, get back to focusing on the process rather than the end goal. Enjoy the journey and find joy in the process of learning and improving. And remember that true mastery comes from within, and it's built on a foundation of clarity, alignment, self-respect, discipline, perseverance, and a willingness to learn and grow. And to conclude, I'm going to leave you with these questions to reflect on. Which of these pitfalls resonate with me the most and why? What pitfalls have I encountered on my own path to mastery? What strategies can I develop to overcome these pitfalls? How can I maintain a sense of playfulness and enjoyment in my pursuit of mastery?

And finally, how can I focus on the process and find joy in the journey rather than becoming fixated on the end goal? All right, my friends, that's what I have for you this week. The path to mastery is not always easy, but with dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to overcome the pitfalls, we can achieve our goals and become masters of our craft. Much love going your way, and à bientôt! thank you guys so much for listening i hope you enjoyed this episode of the mind over finger podcast if this content was helpful for you please share with everyone you think could benefit from it take a screenshot share on social media and tag me i'm mind over finger everywhere so reach out send me a DM and let me know how this content helped you. Let's keep the conversation going.

As always, I have all the information related to this episode in the show notes. You can find them via your podcast app or by visiting mindoverfinger.com where you can also find more free resources on efficient practice and performance preparation, links to sign up to my free workshops and information on how to work with me. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a productive mindful practice, transcripts from the Mind Over Finger podcast episodes delivered to your inbox every week, and more.

Also, join the Mind Over Finger Facebook community, my private group, for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians. So, make sure you're subscribed to the podcast And if you have specific questions for me or my guests that you would like answered in an episode, share them with me using the link in the show notes or send me a DM on Instagram or Facebook. That's it for today. Again, thank you and à bientôt.