This musing is dedicated to all those out there, in the world, striving and pursuing their dreams. I have one word to say to you....my favorite music word...BRAVO !!!!!!
In the past 10 days or so, I completed a major cello work. Hadyn's Cello Concerto in D Major....Adagio .....I have been working a minimum of 4 hrs a day...sometimes more.(most days)..for 3 months. I knew from the moment I started it I loved it..it was in my heart.... and I wanted to learn it very badly. For those of you who read my musings, it is another finish line for me. This piece is a professional level piece and way above my pay grade but , I felt, that if I invested everything I had , I could do it. Three weeks ago I was very close, but ,needed more time...more work...my teacher said I was doing all things right but I needed more time to train my brain/muscles so I took a sabbatical from lessons. A sabbatical to work until I could not do better....it was a gift I had to give myself. I did not do this with the E minor(Brahms) and I regretted it...I'm still thinking about it months and months later. I was not going to do this with my Haydn. So, I told my teacher, I would call when I was done .
I have always had a philosophy about doing my best. Although goal oriented, I never minded if I didn't meet my expectation level ( I do not care about someone else's expectations at all), if I did my best...gave it my best effort....Everyone has heard that phrase...but, what does it mean.....I have a favorite saying that tells clearly what it means to me....it is in the Vitamins for the Mind section of this site:
"Resolve says, "I will". The man says"I will climb this mountain. they told me it is too high, too far, too steep, too rocky and too difficult. But it is my mountain. I will climb it. You will soon see me waving from the top or dead on the side from trying." Jim Rohn
This saying of Mr. Rohns says it all for me....my best effort is being dead on the side from trying...metaphorically , of course :-)....to me, it means I am exhausted mentally and physically and burned out from trying and working. Then I know ,I can't do better. I am happy with what I have done even though I may have fallen short of my expectations.
So, I took the time on sabbatical to see just how far I could go in my goal with this music. It was gift to me. It was so worth it and in the future when I have something I want to learn , I am giving myself all the time I need to learn it until I can do no more....This has made me very very happy. I have the recording sitting on my computer for my teacher this week .....did I meet my expectation level for the Haydn ?...no, I did not...but, my level of expectation was an impossible one to meet with the experience I have. I know I did my best because....I was dead by the side from trying.....and I was very happy and satisfied about it.
Fortunately, I do not expect another major piece that I care about that much for a few months or so...that will be Chopin's Nocturne in Eb.....I have been waiting a long time to play this piece in the original Eb flat key.....so...I had better keep my favorite saying close by to remind me of what it might take:-)
QUOTES:
"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." - Jesse Owens
"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." - Winston Churchill
"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle." - Napoleon Hill
"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things." -
Theodore Roosevelt
Last but, not least....one of my favorites:
"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
I have always had a philosophy about doing my best. Although goal oriented, I never minded if I didn't meet my expectation level ( I do not care about someone else's expectations at all), if I did my best...gave it my best effort....Everyone has heard that phrase...but, what does it mean.....I have a favorite saying that tells clearly what it means to me....it is in the Vitamins for the Mind section of this site:
"Resolve says, "I will". The man says"I will climb this mountain. they told me it is too high, too far, too steep, too rocky and too difficult. But it is my mountain. I will climb it. You will soon see me waving from the top or dead on the side from trying." Jim Rohn
This saying of Mr. Rohns says it all for me....my best effort is being dead on the side from trying...metaphorically , of course :-)....to me, it means I am exhausted mentally and physically and burned out from trying and working. Then I know ,I can't do better. I am happy with what I have done even though I may have fallen short of my expectations.
So, I took the time on sabbatical to see just how far I could go in my goal with this music. It was gift to me. It was so worth it and in the future when I have something I want to learn , I am giving myself all the time I need to learn it until I can do no more....This has made me very very happy. I have the recording sitting on my computer for my teacher this week .....did I meet my expectation level for the Haydn ?...no, I did not...but, my level of expectation was an impossible one to meet with the experience I have. I know I did my best because....I was dead by the side from trying.....and I was very happy and satisfied about it.
Fortunately, I do not expect another major piece that I care about that much for a few months or so...that will be Chopin's Nocturne in Eb.....I have been waiting a long time to play this piece in the original Eb flat key.....so...I had better keep my favorite saying close by to remind me of what it might take:-)
QUOTES:
"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." - Jesse Owens
"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." - Winston Churchill
"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle." - Napoleon Hill
"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things." -
Theodore Roosevelt
Last but, not least....one of my favorites:
"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
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