Failure is often the first step to mastery. If you have never failed, you haven't aimed very high. The kindest thing you can do for your craft is to give yourself the freedom to fail. This winter I have been prepping for my Level II certification in ski teaching for PSIA. As part of that process, I have been doing many clinics, performing a variety of tasks - some that I do well, some that I don't do very well at all. The people that I am working with are looking at my skiing all the time. At the beginning of the winter season, I made the decision to put my ego in the locker for the season. So I am able to take commentary about the things I am not performing correctly without the angst, and begin to make the adjustments I need. There is no negativity in the advice I receive, and I place none on myself. It is simply an atmosphere where the people who teach want me to succeed, my co-clinicians want me to succeed (and I them), and I want to succeed. Well, it's a blast. I am having so much fun, and I am learning, learning, learning, and getting better. It's a supportive environment in which I am constantly challenged to be better, and failure everyday is a necessary and unavoidable part of the process. I like what Jim sways about going public with the failure. It's only negative if WE attach that to it for ourselves. That's good, because that's something we have control over. Almost all of the people offering us advice here want us to succeed, otherwise why would they bother? Will Truitt -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of jimialeggio Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 12:23 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] WIll-- Learning stuff The pianos that I have learned the most from are the ones that kicked my ass- Will Truitt Amen. In the shop, on my lonesome, I'm really comfortable non-judgmentally taking the licking and then strategizing on how to learn form it and improve things. In the shop, I know that failure treated thoughtfully is a friend. The trick for me on this has been to be more comfortable going public with the failure. When outside, public input is required I easily attach negative meaning to the disclosure...emotional meaning; what a useless, counterproductive, creativity sapping, unnecessary, @#$%^ pain in the butt. Jim Ialeggio grandpianosolutions.com 978- 425-9026 Shirley, MA >
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