What's Your Motivation?

It's my first post in a while, but I will hopefully make up with it by giving you two new ones this week.  I think it's a safe bet to say that one of the best words to describe 2020 is "unexpected".  Thankfully, not all of it was negative!  Since my last blog post, I've had 4 film scores, 2 shows, and a bunch of other projects including starting a new podcast about musicians who play for theatre (called Life In the Pit).   I've even started a BIG project for hopefully mid-to-late 2021 related to teaching that I can't discuss yet, because it has a LONG way to go!  It may be 2022 before it's going, but all that to say... it's been tough to get around to blogging again.  Anyway, I can't promise to be very regular on here, but I will do my best going forward to not let a month go by without posting at least once.

As I mentioned, I am going to close out the year with 2 posts because I have some ideas I want to share about GOALS.  As we get ready for a new year, I can't think of a better week to think about goals.

Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation

What motivates you?

Something I've become more aware of this year is the powerful difference in Extrinsic motivation vs Intrinsic.  In case those words are unfamiliar, this is what is meant.  EXTRINSIC goals means that you are motivated by something or someone.  If you're practicing because you get a reward such as a dessert, a fun outing, money, or anything else, that is extrinsic.  If you're learning music to impress someone, that is extrinsic.

INTRINSIC means that your motivation is internal.  You want to practice well, and achieve your goal because it's something you take pride in doing.  It's something that matters to you.  You're comparing your present self with your past self, and your future self with your present self.  It doesn't matter what you receive or don't receive from someone else.  It doesn't even matter if you get the approval you're looking for.

Which one is better?

If you're looking for a short-term boost, a quick win - then extrinsic is the way to go.  There's a story I've told for years.  When I was in high school, I was preparing for my annual performance for the National Guild of Piano Teachers.  What this involves is preparing a certain length program (10 pieces for me that year) where you receive a grade from an out-of-town teacher on everything from rhythm to accuracy, expression, use of pedal, technique, tempo, interpretation, and many other factors.  My last piano lesson revealed to my teacher that I was woefully unprepared for one of my pieces.  It was 3 days before my scheduled performance, and my teacher said, "We should drop this piece, and reduce your type of certificate.  There's no way you'll have this ready."

Well, my teacher had been with me for at least 10 years by that point, and knew me well.  By saying "there's no way", she knew how I'd respond - in anger and with a stubborn determination to prove her wrong.  I told her not to take it off the program.  I went home and practiced in a way that I don't think I ever had before, almost exclusively on that piece.  And it WAS ready!  And I DID prove her wrong!

So...Extrinsic is better??

Extrinsic is much easier, and is more powerful in the short term.  However...

Here's the problem.  That was great for 1 piece at 1 point in my life.  It didn't make me a better pianist.  It didn't make me a better musician.  It also wasn't good for me to see my piano teacher as a villain just to prepare a piece of music to a certain standard!

What happens when you're on your own as an adult, and nobody is going to give you that extra cash, or a trip to a theme park, or whatever it is for doing your job?  Who's going to pat you on the back for learning another piece of music to an excellent standard? 

If you must have a reward or appreciation from someone else to be motivated to do well at music, there WILL come a time when it doesn't matter, when you stop progressing, and when you just don't feel like it's worth it.  One of my biggest challenges for years has been to keep learning challenging pieces that I have no intention of performing in concert, but merely want to keep growing as a pianist.

If you haven't figured it out by now, learning music is a LONG game!  It's not about what you're doing next month, but what you're doing in 10 years.  That starts with doing well...today.  Then you do the best you can...tomorrow.  Your motivation?  Look yourself in the mirror and smile knowing that, even if it wasn't perfect, you gave the best you could on that particular day.  You measure yourself against yourself.  You can always go to YouTube and find someone who plays your music faster and maybe with fewer mistakes.  That's extrinsic comparison, and that's NOT your measuring stick.  "You Yesterday" is your comparison with "You Today".  "You Tomorrow" is your comparison with "You Today".

The difference between people who operate on extrinsic or intrinsic motivation boils down to one characteristic for each.

People who practice music for extrinsic reasons are motivated by RESULTS.  You learned the piece or you didn't.

People who practice music for intrinsic reasons are motivated by THE PROCESS.  Never mind the piece itself.  How did you do with practice today?  Were you fully engaged with your concentration, or were you distracted?  Did you practice just the right amount for your time that you got NOTICEABLY better on a few measures rather than sorta-kinda-barely better on a full page or 2?  Are you thinking about what you can improve the next day?  Are you always thinking of where you could be after practicing tomorrow?  After a week of practice?  After a month of practice?

My biggest idol in music is the film composer John Williams (who wrote the music for Star Wars, Harry Potter, Home Alone, and so much more).  He is a master if INTRINSIC motivation.  Even though he's won 5 Academy Awards and a ton of Grammys, and the most recognizable movie music in history, he doesn't even watch the movies when he's done.  He's always moving on to the next project.  He doesn't care what praise or criticism he receives, because he's just trying to do his best on the project he's doing at the moment and doing it maybe a little better than the previous one.  He's not jealous of other composers, because his only comparison is himself.

My challenge for all of you in 2021 is to have big goals, but your first goal is: Fall in love with the process of practice.  Become the best practicer you can each and every day.  And do it for the pride and love of doing it well!  It's not glamorous, and there's nothing for your wallet.  But it will last, and you will get better and better!

Last but not least:  It will make you a better person.  Your relationships and friendships will improve with an intrinsic approach, because it's no longer you just feeding off your environment.  It's you offering your best no matter how it's received.  It's you supporting others in their goals even if they're similar to yours, and maybe appear to be doing better.  Doing things intrinsically is a HARD switch to make, but try to get going that way in 2021, because the long-term results are so much better!