The Bulletproof Musician

• Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?

  I came across a study years ago which found that fear of negative evaluation was one of the key drivers of performance anxiety in musicians. Which of course makes perfect sense, as we're being evaluated all the time. Often, with meaningful consequences attached.But that doesn't mean it's helpful - or very pleasant to experience either! So is there anything we can do to be less sensitive to what others around us might be thinking about us? At least in rehearsals, auditions, performances, or even dates for that matter, when it's way more useful for us to focus on the things that we can actually control?A 2007 study provides some clues on how we could potentially reduce our stress levels, increase self-esteem, exude more confidence in public, and even perform more effectively, by working on a particular kind of focus in our daily lives.Get all the nerdy details and learn how to start working on this particular kind of selective attention right here:Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?* * *Have you been feeling stuck in the practice room, like your progress has plateaued? Or maybe performance anxiety continues to sneak up on you, even when you know you’ve prepared as much as you possibly could - for performances, auditions, or even lessons?If you’ve been wanting to experience more satisfaction and progress in the practice room, and play more like yourself on stage, I’ll be teaching a live online, 4-week class addressing these frustrating - but solvable - challenges starting February 2, 2025.In this class, we’ll explore four key skill areas—effective practice, managing anxiety, enhancing focus, and building confidence. Through weekly Zoom sessions, we’ll work on practical, research-based exercises as a group. And to help these skills become lasting habits, you’ll get bite-sized practice challenges to gently weave into your daily routine, supported by a global community of practice buddies.Registration is open now through Sunday, January 26thOver 2000 musicians, educators, and learners of all ages have already gone through the course. You can read their stories and sign up to join Cohort 21 at: bulletproofmusician.com/essentials

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• What Causes "Choking" Under Pressure? And What Can We Do About It?

  Have you ever had one of those days on stage where you suddenly can't seem to do a thing that normally is never an issue? Or maybe it's one of those days where everything just spontaneously falls apart? And for seemingly no reason at all, even though you were as prepared as you've ever been?Athletes call this "choking." Or the "yips" (which I think is funner to say). There's actually been quite a bit of interesting research on why this happens. And the answer is way more interesting than "nerves" or "pressure."Get all the nerdy details on why this happens and what you can do about it here:What Causes "Choking" Under Pressure? And What Can We Do About It?* * *Have you been feeling stuck in the practice room, like your progress has plateaued? Or maybe performance anxiety continues to sneak up on you, even when you know you’ve prepared as much as you possibly could - for performances, auditions, or even lessons?If you’ve been wanting to experience more satisfaction and progress in the practice room, and play more like yourself on stage, I’ll be teaching a live online, 4-week class addressing these frustrating - but solvable - challenges starting February 2, 2025.In this class, we’ll explore four key skill areas—effective practice, managing anxiety, enhancing focus, and building confidence. Through weekly Zoom sessions, we’ll work on practical, research-based exercises as a group. And to help these skills become lasting habits, you’ll get bite-sized practice challenges to gently weave into your daily routine, supported by a global community of practice buddies.Registration is open now through Sunday, January 26thOver 2000 musicians, educators, and learners of all ages have already gone through the course. You can read their stories and sign up to join Cohort 21 at: bulletproofmusician.com/essentials

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  10:49
• The Truth About Cramming: Why Your Brain Needs Breaks

  Taking breaks in the middle of practice or study sessions can be a pain. Often, it's a lot easier and more convenient to just power through and get it over with.But what price do we pay by not spacing out our learning, over multiple days, or with practice or study breaks? Does this really make that much of a difference?Two studies from the literature suggest that spaced learning can make quite a significant difference, actually. And one study explains why, highlighting the very different things that happen in the brain when we take breaks vs when we don't.Get all the nerdy details and references here: The Truth About Cramming: Why Your Brain Needs Breaks* * *Have you been feeling stuck in the practice room, like your progress has plateaued? Or maybe performance anxiety continues to sneak up on you, even when you know you’ve prepared as much as you possibly could - for performances, auditions, or even lessons?If you’ve been wanting to experience more satisfaction and progress in the practice room, and play more like yourself on stage, I’ll be teaching a live online, 4-week class addressing these frustrating - but solvable - challenges starting February 2, 2025.In this class, we’ll explore four key skill areas—effective practice, managing anxiety, enhancing focus, and building confidence. Through weekly Zoom sessions, we’ll work on practical, research-based exercises as a group. And to help these skills become lasting habits, you’ll get bite-sized practice challenges to gently weave into your daily routine, supported by a global community of practice buddies.Registration is open now through Sunday, January 26thOver 2000 musicians, educators, and learners of all ages have already gone through the course. You can read their stories and sign up to join Cohort 21 at: bulletproofmusician.com/essentials

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  9:07
• Orli Shaham: On Overcoming Setbacks and Learning to Trust the Process

  Ever had one of those “I’m a total failure, and I’m never going to be invited to play with these folks again” moments?In this month’s chat, pianist Orli Shaham shares a deeply personal story about a performance at the Spoleto Festival in Italy, where rehearsals went so badly, that the piece she prepared was pulled from the program. It felt like a “complete failure” at the time, but the experience prompted her to evaluate her preparation process. Which eventually led to one of her career highlights - a performance of John Adams’s first piano concerto, in Carnegie Hall, where Adams came onstage during the applause and gave her the greatest compliment she could have asked for, as he said “You got it. You really got it.”If you’ve ever struggled with feeling out of your depth, this episode is for you.Get all the nerdy details right here:Orli Shaham: On Overcoming Setbacks and Learning to Trust the Process* * *Have you been feeling stuck in the practice room, like your progress has plateaued? Or maybe performance anxiety continues to sneak up on you, even when you know you’ve prepared as much as you possibly could - for performances, auditions, or even lessons?If you’ve been wanting to experience more satisfaction and progress in the practice room, and play more like yourself on stage, I’ll be teaching a live online, 4-week class addressing these frustrating - but solvable - challenges starting February 2, 2025.In this class, we’ll explore four key skill areas—effective practice, managing anxiety, enhancing focus, and building confidence. Through weekly Zoom sessions, we’ll work on practical, research-based exercises as a group. And to help these skills become lasting habits, you’ll get bite-sized practice challenges to gently weave into your daily routine, supported by a global community of practice buddies.Registration is open now through Sunday, January 26thOver 2000 musicians, educators, and learners of all ages have already gone through the course. You can read their stories and sign up to join Cohort 21 at: bulletproofmusician.com/essentials

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  53:59
• A Backward Strategy for Enhanced Goal-Setting Success

  Maybe you've set some goals for the coming year, but you're not quite sure where to start, and feeling a little overwhelmed? Or maybe you have a history of setting goals but not following through?A 2017 study looked at a "backwards" strategy for goal-setting and found that this increased motivation, follow-through, and actual performance as well!Get all the nerdy details here:A Backward Strategy for Enhanced Goal-Setting Success* * *Have you been feeling stuck in the practice room, like your progress has plateaued? Or maybe performance anxiety continues to sneak up on you, even when you know you’ve prepared as much as you possibly could - for performances, auditions, or even lessons?If you’ve been wanting to experience more satisfaction and progress in the practice room, and play more like yourself on stage, I’ll be teaching a live online, 4-week class addressing these frustrating - but solvable - challenges starting February 2, 2025.In this class, we’ll explore four key skill areas—effective practice, managing anxiety, enhancing focus, and building confidence. Through weekly Zoom sessions, we’ll work on practical, research-based exercises as a group. And to help these skills become lasting habits, you’ll get bite-sized practice challenges to gently weave into your daily routine, supported by a global community of practice buddies.Registration is open now through Sunday, January 26thOver 2000 musicians, educators, and learners of all ages have already gone through the course. You can read their stories and sign up to join Cohort 21 at: bulletproofmusician.com/essentials

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