Tuesday night I was headed toward the bed feeling sad and stopped at the piano to practice “for just 5 minutes” and went to bed 20 minutes later feeling on top of the world.
I started to learn piano 8 years ago but haven’t practiced much in the last 6 years. I was given a drum and some lessons for my 50th birthday by my close friend and cousin, Jim. Thinking about sitting down to play either of them, I always feel woefully inadequate. It is the same as when I sit down to write these Friday Reflections or record an episode of my podcast. But when I get up from having played piano or written or recorded, no matter how well or how poorly, I feel good. Hmmm… And the longer I go with out playing or writing the worse I feel about sitting down to do it. And when I get up from it, even if it is just 5 minutes, even if I have just touched it, I feel good. Hmmm.
Reading James Clear’s newsletter, https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/december-1-2022 , this jumped out at me. “It only takes five minutes to break the cycle. Five minutes of exercise and you are back on the path. Five minutes of writing and the manuscript is moving forward again. Five minutes of conversation and the relationship is restored. It doesn’t take much to feel good again.”
I would take it even farther. Just touching it, just sitting down to write, work on the big proposal, talk with your partner or child, or play that instrument, just that makes progress. And it does for two reasons. First, and most importantly, it will get you to actually sit down and start on it. If I let go of all expectations for the outcome of the session and say it is only for a minute or two, I will actually sit down to it. Second, when I do finally get started, I usually go for 20 or 30 minutes. This also works for exercise. The hardest part is getting out the door, or dropping to do the 20 pushups, but doing that every day, even if only 20 pushups, does a lot for my fitness and health.
So back to Tuesday night when I sat down feeling awful, I took out my phone to practice a Christmas Carol on my teaching app. It sounded bad. A few minutes later my daughter showed up playing Joy to the World perfectly on her violin. I sung along and tried not to ruin it with my playing. I had to pinch myself! the whole reason I want to play piano it to sing Christmas carols with my family. Here I was doing that just by sitting down at the piano, just touching my practice. I went to bed smiling.
Whatever it is that you want to do, but avoid doing, just touch it every day and see what happens.
Have a great weekend,
Art
