Episode 70: How Good Do You Want To Be? - with Virtual Music Teacher, Doug Sutton

Do you want to be an expert, or do you want to create a hobby? How often do you start something, whether that be a fitness routine, a sport or an instrument and forget to ask yourself what you are fighting for? This makes a huge difference in your expectations and the time you are willing to commit to the endeavor.

If you want to work out to feel better in your day, gain energy, sleep better or decrease depression, studies show that 30 minutes of physical movement, most days of the week will do the trick. But, if you compare yourself to your neighbor, who is training for a marathon, you will think that you are failing by only devoting 30 minutes a day of gentle movement. The end goal is different and therefore the day to day goals look different!

There is no right answer to the question “how good do you want to be?” It just helps us to define the amount of effort that it will take to get where you want to go. This topic comes from my interview today with professional musician, teacher and life changer, Doug Sutton. He has been an incredibly positive influence on my kids love of music and continues to teach them virtually now that we are in Arkansas and in this crazy season of quarantine!

Doug has students of all ages and personalities, starting with those who are there only because their parents make them go. Most have different levels of interest all the way up to people who love music and want to perform on stage. Many want to know how to play but don’t want to put in the practice to make it work. Doug’s expectations aren’t that they be perfect but that they show up to class each week. By doing that, they will eventually see progress. If they show up to their instrument for even a short time daily between classes, they will progress even more. If they put their heart into practicing, they will get the results they want even faster. He tries to find ways to motivate his students to want to get better for themselves.

He can teach them the lessons but after that, everything that happens is totally up to them. They have to decide how far they want to progress. If they want to be really good, they will have to put in the work. It won’t come all at once and it won’t be fast, but each new skill learned will add to what they already know and slowly build them into the musician they want to be.

Resources:

www.facebook.com/PercAce