Focus

Hard Work is Overrated (You Might Be Working Too Hard)

Lazy can be good Strive for max efficiency Not so easy, eh? (Why the haiku? TMQ) There seems to be this widespread notion that hard work is commendable and worthy of praise, while laziness is at the root of society’s problems. Kids underachieving in school? Well, kids nowadays don’t have any work ethic. Childhood obesity? [...]

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Why Me? (Or, How to Stop Feeling Sorry for Yourself)

Murphy’s Law states that if anything could possibly go wrong, it probably will – and often at the worst possible time. As cheerily optimistic a world-view as this may be, we can usually recall enough examples of such times that it feels true. Such as, showing up for an audition, thinking you have plenty of [...]

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How to Know if You Are Taking Too Much Time Before Playing the First Note

So the big moment has finally arrived. As you take your place on stage, ready to play the repertoire that you’ve practiced diligently for months, the nerves really begin to kick in, and your thoughts begin to race. What if I screw up? Did I practice enough? Wait – what’s the first note? Did I [...]

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How to Change the Way You Feel About Auditions

Have you ever heard the phrase “perception is reality?” I read a book the other day in which the author described one such experience. During a ride on the subway, a man and his young children entered and sat down near him. The children were yelling, being rowdy, and disturbing the other passengers, while the [...]

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What Do Sport Psychologists Really Mean When They Say “Focus on the Now”?

Here’s something to try the next time you’re in a toy store and have access to an inquisitive 3-year old kid and some electrician’s tape. Tear off a big long piece of tape and use it to mark off a circle on the ground, about 3-feet in diameter. Put the toddler in the circle and [...]

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