It’s the Pursuit of Any Goal that Makes Failure Likely
by Presence
The moment it is known that one won’t smoke or eat unhealthy foods, that knowing is the end and the new beginning.
It’s the pursuit of any goal that makes failure likely, just as new year’s resolutions and goal lists are indicative that one is not ready – even that one is not going to transform.
No failure is an awesome concept. Working with one of my friends, Alex, who plats classical piano, it became clear his passion was also his pain.
His rigidity with obligations to the composer, audience and himself made perfection his only goal.
The chances perfection arrives and stays would be a gamblers nightmare.
He could play a complex 30 minute recital and make a minor mistake that sentences him to failure.
With a suggestion of practicing a half hour a day, where he could not fail.
His ego fought to keep his rigid standards and control. Finally he tried it.
Yes it was a shock for him to slow his hands down and bring awareness to this moment.
The piano changed the moment he dropped the failure. It was instantaneous for him. That anchor was dropped for the first time and the piano started to be an instrument and not a way of being the label, concert pianists.
Very true.