There are a few students I have had through the years who have been phenomenal singers who seemed
they had every aspect of a consummate professional. I have seen the most major stumbling block to success. This
problem, if not rectified, stops any hope of ever succeeding. This is a bad state of mind, which is nothing short of
self-sabotage. The methods of self-destruction are varied, indeed.
The subject of the mind and of attitudes
toward life, art, singing, performing, the preparation, the discipline, is nearly infinite in its vastness. This subject
alone could be its own book; it could fill volumes of books and has through the years. For the sake of expediency,
I will only address the more common issues that cannot be ignored, if a person is to ever be a professional singer/entertainer.
Here is a list
of the more common issues a singer may have to face to avoid having progress thwarted:
- Low self esteem
- Little or no confidence
- Stage fright
- Lack of or no Self Discipline
- Bad or no time management
- No sense of integrity
- No sense of personal ethics
- Bad morals
- No perseverance
- Contradictory
value systems or values
- Contradictory beliefs
- Idol worship
- No concept of professionalism
- Mental illness
- Brain damage
- Lack
of organization
- Not knowing how to practice
- Not
taking 100% responsibility for everything
- Incorrect or inadequate knowledge
There are solutions to these issues! Some
of us have been exposed to successful habits and have emulated them or were taught them. Some of us have fallen out
of good habits.
When we have opposite beliefs or values, we need to sort these things out and discover how we really
feel about things and why.
The higher we place an “idol” on a pedestal, the farther we put ourselves down.
You will never get to what you believe is out of your own reach.
I have had a couple of students who were
being treated for depression. One told me that he used to be on anti-depressants and that it narrowed the band oh his
emotions to where the highs were lowered and the lows were raised, leaving a very narrow band of emotion. He told me
that he could not sing in this very narrow band of feelings because there was nothing left to express himself with.
I am not advocating that a person go against their doctor’s wishes, necessarily. I am saying, however, if you
are on drugs, you may not be as good a singer as a person who does not “need” drugs.
There are private
lessons and workshops given by myself or by Sheree available to help with these issues and there is also additional information
available to help with these issues. Some helpful tips are available in the "members only" section of this
site.
