Sometimes You Need to Quit

Several years ago, I had a student who just would not quit.

I don't mean that in the good way.

He was tackling a piece that was just too much for him for where his skill level was. I was reluctant to let him try it from the beginning, but he was so insistent, I let him try it.

Big mistake.

Fast forward six months later, and we were still riding the struggle bus. In fact, we had a season pass.

Many piano teachers have faced this dilemma, most notably with Für Elise and Charlie Brown.

Everyone wants to learn it. And, they enthusiastically learn that A section. But then, they struggle with the much-harder, less-well-known B section for eternity.

Anyhow...

This student refused to quit the piece. There was no swaying him. Unfortunately, there was also no swaying him to quit the way he was practicing; just plowing ahead and hoping the notes would eventually be right.

Another several weeks passed with no progress, and that led to student, mom, and dad quitting the piano altogether.

A classic case of not quitting the right things at the right times.

Quitting is one of those hot-button words, like Failure. We were taught that quitting equals weakness. That it's a moral shortcoming.

That's not true. Most of the time, anyway.

If we never quit anything, you would still be working that minimum-wage job you hated in college.

Restaurant owners are famous for not quitting even when they are losing thousands of dollars a month. They've made reality shows around that concept.

The key is quitting the right things at the right time.

Completely quitting piano because it's becoming a little challenging? Yes, that's silly.

But quitting a practice strategy that's not working, or quitting a piece that's just not working out right now (or just isn't fun to play anymore)...

This is not only necessary, but also usually the best way forward.

Rather than the classic saying, "Winners never quit," let's try something like...

"Winners with solid long-term vision never quit due to temporary challenges, but always quit the things that aren't working in service of the things that will work for the long-term vision."

Won't quite fit on a bumper sticker, but it's a start.