Managing Frustration

Frustration comes with the territory with any skill in life. If it's not properly managed, it can destroy one's desire to sing or play. This has happened to me with guitar numerous times. So many times I want to turn my guitar into a baseball bat! When that happens, I put it down, walk away, and come back a day or two later. I tell myself "DO NOT QUIT!"

The desire to quit can be overwhelming. But once I pick up the guitar again, I am almost always a little further along than previously. This is why it's so important to never give up. You may feel like it, but coming back with an improvement is proof that you should work through that feeling.

When I have vocal students who are struggling with a concept, I watch for a rise in their frustration level. Once I see this, I redirect them. When frustration boils over, it can lead to a desire to quit, which we can not have! Once I redirect, we find a way to work around whatever is causing the stumbling block. We are then able to fix the issue or find a way to manage it.

Below is a humorous account of how I sometimes feel when I'm musically frustrated, and I show this to my students to take the edge off for them. As you will see, where there is a problem, there is a solution.