Step By Step

Learning any new skill depends on small steps. Lesson time is spent determining how to break down practice spots so we can isolate the problem, correct the problem, learn a new skill and then master the new skill.

Sometimes in lesson the steps seem obvious and sometimes they don't. Sometimes, more often than not, we see the small steps but don't acknowledge them, wanting to just be able to do it right the first time, from the start. Who needs to practice something that you can get by with? It may not be perfect but it sounds close enough right?

Why should we settle for being adequate? Why should we only do things so long as they are easy even if it means sacrificing what is true? Why can't we just stop and do the few minutes of work so we can actually play the music and produce the skill correctly? It's our lazy human nature I suppose, and it is internally hard to battle especially as we get older.

So what brought this discussion about today? Well, I saw a video about teaching your cat to jump through an arm loop and I felt very discouraged at climbing this morning and tried to come up with a solution. The randomness of my brain...

So I've been climbing off and on for a few years now. I'm finally in a good routine of attending the gym after having Maggie, but each time I go, I get discouraged by not being able to complete the easiest routes and then don't even want to practice them because I feel like everyone is judging me and I beat myself up that I should be better than I am. It's a vicious circle.

This evening, I saw a video about how to train your cat to jump through your arms made into a loop. They broke the skill into 6 EASY steps. 6 EASY steps for 1 skill. 6 EASY STEPS FOR ONE SKILL...!!!



When I break a violin practice spots into 1 or 2 small steps in lesson, I get groans, possibly some eye rolls. We all want a short cut, we all want it to just magically work.

What I love about the cat training video is that it's not just 6 steps, it's 6 EASY steps. EASY! When we break things down, we mean to make our lives easier. Yes, we are asking ourselves to commit time to the steps and therefore time to developing the skill. But isn't the result of achieving that skill what should give us satisfaction? Adrenaline? The need to learn and do more?

Sometimes, even when we break a practice spot into one or two steps, the steps can still be hard. If this is the case, why not break it down more until the steps are easy. Don't you think 6 easy steps will take less time to master than 1 or 2 still challenging steps?

Couldn't we apply the process of small, easy steps to any area of our life that we want to improve on?

So I'm breaking my climbing practice into steps.

Photo Courtesy of Junction Climbing

Step 1: is to go and do the job that I set out to do and not worry about what anyone else is thinking about (mentally prepare).
Step 2: I'll try to master what is easy by repeating what is easy - Doing all the routes I can do easily multiple times (review).
Step 3: Take a breather and watch someone else do a route that I want to work on (learning through observation)
Step 4: Pick 1 or 2 more advanced routes and determine what the problem spot is. Work the problem through repetitions, observation and isolation (practice).
Step 5: Try anything else that looks fun (ending the lesson on a high note).

Is this not how we organize our practice? We need to practice for ourselves and not for anyone else. We review what we already know so that we can become more proficient. We practice our advanced repertoire repeating and isolating difficult passages. We end our practice on a high note by doing something different or playing a piece that we love. All we have to do is think about the steps that we know will lead us to success and implement them. I've been back to the gym a few times now with plan in hand and what a difference there is leaving the gym. Discouragement is gone and I feel like I've actually accomplished something even though I'm not conquering the advanced routes.

Step by step is not hard work. It's just doing the work. It's about not accepting things as they are but always striving to do things better. Reflect on how you approach new skills or solve problems in your life. What small EASY steps can you take to be a better student, a better parent, a better human being.

Strive to be better. (I really needed this self talk - thanks for listening!)