Think of a time you really wanted something. You just had to have it. Did it seem as if the more you wanted it the further away it got from you?

Now think of a time when you really didn’t need something, but it would be nice if you got it. Did you seem to get “that” more often and more easily?

Funny how it works.

What was really happening is you were thinking of either process or results.

Compare a popular dude to a guy who obsessively wants a girlfriend. The desperate usually don’t get what they want. The “abundant” usually do.

Take a sports game for example. Usually a team gets out of sync when they’re thinking of results. They play “not to lose.” They’re afraid of losing and as a result actually lose the game (too much focus on results). The team who ends up winning is the team who is in a flow, the team who actually looks like they’re having more fun than trying to win (focus on process).

That’s why good coaches reward hustle, no matter the end result. Because when you work hard you get good results. When you work for results, you usually don’t work hard (or you work harder than you have to).

So when you sit down to practice piano, or whatever it is you do, let go of the results. The point of practice is not to get every note right. Focus on enjoying the action as much as possible.

A composer loves to compose, she doesn’t aim for the result of a composition. The composer loves the journey of writing the music because she knows the destination of finishing the composition is over in a heartbeat.

Love the act of creating more than the creation itself.

Think process over results.

“What am I looking for?” is the question that will lead you to the right piano teacher.  In general, it’s always better to reverse-engineer your problem. Instead of finding a piano teacher and adjusting to their needs, a better strategy would be to find someone who’s more suitable for you or your kid.

So what are you looking for? Do you want someone who knows music fundamentals like the back of their hand? Do you want a fun and enjoyable experience? Someone who’s good with kids? Is it important for your child to build a personal connection or do you want the focus to be on a “music education?”

Once you clarify what you want, the next step is to accept that no teacher can deliver 100% of what you’re looking for. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses and that applies to professionals as well. Shaq was one of the greatest big men to ever play the game of basketball… and one of the worst free throw shooters of all time.

So make a compromise and think of the top 2 or 3 qualities you want a piano teacher to have and pay attention to the following caveats:

Don’t assume a good piano player makes for good teaching, and vice versa. Being a better performer makes you a better performer, not a better teacher.

Someone who both plays and teaches well is an exception.

Also, be careful when a teacher has a talented student. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good teacher. Know why? Because it’s EASY to teach talented students. They’re more or less what you would call auto-didactic, students who are really good at teaching themselves, or self-learning. These students will thrive in any environment and most likely with any teacher. I have a few of them and I’ll tell you the most important thing is to not get in their way.

Here’s the most important piece of advice: look at the teachers’ roster of students. If you’re looking for someone who’s good with kids and beginners, make sure their studio is packed with kids who are beginners and have a great connection with the teacher.

People are who they surround themselves with. Every studio reflects their teacher. It’s just like how a professional football team will take on the personality of their head coach.

So when looking for the right piano teacher, make sure you take your time and do your research. Your wallet and your child will thank you later.

Bright lights, cameras, drinks and of course gambling. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!

Here's "Show City, Show Girl" by Hiromi Uehara from her Viva! Vegas suite. She's my favorite living pianist today and I LOVE her music.

For those unfamiliar with Hiromi, her music is a beast to play. Technically challenging and super catchy.

It’s obvious you have to go through endless repetition to get better at anything. Legend says it took Thomas Edison 10,000 tries to invent the light bulb(!)

However, there are 3 important distinctions to be made: focus, quality and consistency.

First, concentrate on one single thing at a time (which is what focus really is). It goes without saying that multitasking is a myth. What people think of multitasking is really just their brain rapidly shifting from one activity to the next. So when you’re listening to a lecture on audio, writing a paper, and texting on your phone, all at the same time, it’s no surprise you don’t see great returns on your investment of time.

Just remember that Bruce Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Number 2, quality of repetition is a game changer. Look, if you hustle your butt off and take massive action good things will happen to you but that’s only if you’re taking the right type of action. Just saying hello in the mirror 10 times in a row isn’t automatically going to make your introduction better. After each repetition, focusing on things like inflection, projection, clarity, and intonation will make a difference.

Last but not least, keep in mind consistency of repetition. 10 free throws make or miss do not improve your percentage. But 10 in a row does. Try thinking about your favorite restaurant. I have one, and the reason why I go back time and time again is their customer service and quality of food is always consistent.

If you want to be a Jedi at what you do, volume + quality + consistency of repetition are what will lead the way.