Here's a conversation that comes up pretty frequently.
Student comes in.
Student: I'm having a hard time remembering to practice.
Me: Let's make a plan for this week, then. When we're finished, go into your calendar and create time blocks so you know exactly when you're going to practice each day. Treat it like any other commitment. (I'll have this conversation with the parent, too.)
Student: Okay, got it!
(one week later...)
Me: So, how did it go planning out your practice?
Student: I didn't do it. I don't know what happened.
It might sound paradoxical, but we need to plan time to plan. Otherwise, we get lost in the shuffle.
Every...time...
It's like going to war. The great generals of history didn't just go into battle hoping they'd have a good day.
They have that famous scene in the war room, mapping out their strategy. Planning what they'll do. So when they do it, it's not a surprise.
It's the same thing when we plan our practice (mostly).
When you want to make a change in your practice habits, you have to get the calendar out. No question.
But, you need to plan for one time block first.
It's the time block you'll use to plan out the rest of the week.
Otherwise, you'll blink, a week will pass, and you'll wonder what the heck happened.
