Cosmic Truth

Here are some aphorisms from the earlier draft of First, Learn to Practice that didn't make the final cut. Like most aphorisms, they're not so much Cosmic Truths as signs that say, "For Cosmic Truth, dig here."

Lessons don't make you a musician. Practicing makes you a musician.

You can't accomplish the extraordinary by doing the ordinary.

Every day when you practice, expect it to be enjoyable.

We think about things when we practice so we won't have to think about them when we play.

If you have to think about what you're playing, you don't know it yet.

Forget about talent. Focus on hard work, and talent will show up.

Things improve when you pay attention to them.

One small thing, perfect, over and over, every day.

You are always practicing one of two things: doing it right, or doing it wrong. There's no third option.

Decide today how you're going to play for the rest of your life.

And here's one, from Russ Barenberg, that I would have borrowed if I had heard it when I was writing the book.

An amateur practices until he can play it right. A professional practices until he can't play it wrong.