I get a kick out of people who say that “winning isn’t everything”, though we as a society spend a bloody fortune following things having to do with winning and losing. We go to sporting events of all kinds, we watch competitions on TV, and are glued to the current presidential race because we are concerned about winning and losing.
Today I see people walking around with their heads down, feeling sorry for themselves. Do I need to remind you that this is still the greatest country in the World with the most opportunity? You can still do and be anything that you want to be if you’re willing to think and dream bigger. Maybe you should just go for it! You can be a winner!
I bring this subject up because when my students show up on a weekly basis, the first thing that comes out of their mouth is: “I have worked this piece to death and still can’t do it!”. One of my students is a former girls’ volleyball coach. I asked him if he talks about technique right before the big game. He said; no, it’s usually time for a pep talk”. I told him that music is also about winning and losing. Every new piece of music is a challenge to overcome. How we feel about it and how we talk about it creates the result. It’s the “self-fulfilling prophesy.” One guy says: “I always screw it up in this measure”, and, sure enough, he does.
We need to change our attitude and how we think about things. Everything in life is about winning and losing or success and failure. Losing and failing aren’t death sentences, they are learning experiences and places to make us accountable when we’re not.
I want to win and succeed, don’t you?