In a previous post, I suggested that mental toughness is just as relevant to musicians as it is to athletes. I promised to revisit the topic in subsequent weeks, so here is the first in a series of short posts which will outline some of the ways in which one can develop greater mental toughness as a musician.
There is Japanese proverb which states “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”
Indeed, persistence, or that not-so-common ability to persevere in the face of disappointments and setbacks, is one of the key factors that separate those who realize their goals from those who fall short.
Of course there is also that catchy, but annoying saying that “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” (Thankfully, I’m not the only one who finds this irksome – admittedly, this other fellow is a psychologist too, but I’ll take what I can get…)
So what are we to make of these seemingly contradictory sayings? Click to continue…
Mental toughness is a popular buzzword not just among athletes, coaches, and sport psychologists, but in the popular media as well. From Men’s Fitness to Forbes to NPR, many are talking about the benefits of mental toughness.
In a 1987 study of college wrestling for instance, 82% of the coaches involved rated mental toughness as the most important psychological attribute of successful wrestlers.
Consider that for all of Tiger Woods’s physical skills, he is lauded more for his mental toughness than anything else.
Remember Michael Jordan’s performance against the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals (a.k.a. “the flu game” – click here for a 5-minute reminder)?
Then there is what some have called the most dramatic moment in Ironman history, where triathletes Sian Welch and Wendy Ingraham crawl to the finish line in a race for 4th and 5th place. Take a moment to watch their story below.
It’s easy to see the value of mental toughness in sports, and even business. But what about in music? Could mental toughness be a valuable asset for musicians?
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 man stared off into space, seemingly oblivious to their antics and rudeness. After he had seen enough, the author asked the man if he might do something to control his children’s behavior. The man looked at him, apologized, and explained that they had just come from the hospital where his wife had died about an hour ago, noting that he wasn’t sure how to deal with this and that the kids probably didn’t know how to handle it either.
Imagine you were this author. Can you imagine how quickly your feelings would have shifted from irritation to compassion?
There are lots of books and articles out there about perfectionism, but they are all a little biased. Specifically, they all deal with how not to be a perfectionist. That’s all fine and dandy, but what about all those poor underrepresented souls who want some advice on how to become a more perfect perfectionist? Well, here it is.
Click to continue…
If making more lasting improvements in less time sounds appealing, enter your email address below to download this free practice hacking guide.
Performance psychologist and Juilliard graduate Dr. Noa Kageyama teaches musicians how to do their best under pressure.
Want more than a one-sentence bio? Click on over to the About Me page where Noa promises not to talk about himself in the 3rd person.
