Commit to Ten

Each goodly thing is hardest to begin. - Edmund Spenser

Sometimes, one of the hardest thing about practicing the violin is to actually start. For most people, procrastination is often the sign of an underlying problem. For a violinist, it can stem from a fear of failure, a feeling of inadequacy, a lack of motivation, and/or discouragement in the face of the amount of work ahead. Playing the violin, or any musical instrument, is a deeply personal experience. At the root of it all is a deep love for music.

Then, after years of hard work, discipline, and sacrifices, it becomes an intrinsic part of who we are. One feels exposed, revealed. The never ending pursuit of perfection combined with accumulating deadlines can often make the climb to the mountain top seem way too steep. Sometimes, it is simply scary because we usually put a huge amount of pressure on ourselves and, for this reason, the violin resting in the case becomes a feared object embodying a large panoply of frustrations and insecurities.

But the funny thing is, once we unleash this monster from its cage, things usually end up not being so bad at all! Once the beast is out and has been cajoled for a while, it starts to show its tamer side.

What’s important is to get the ball rolling, create momentum. So maybe you don’t feel like locking yourself in the practice roo