When I was 30 I hadn’t been on a bicycle in years. My first ride around the block left me winded and exhausted. So, I vowed to ride a little every day, starting with that one block for a couple of days, then two blocks, then three, then a mile, etc. Endurance and shape built up quickly. Soon I was doing ten miles on a daily basis.
I find that, if I’ve taken a hiatus from composing for a while (I try not to, but do allow a little time between projects to catch a breath), that I may have to work my way back to longer writing sessions. The same thing is true with my practice. If I haven’t managed to maintain a regular practice habit, then my concentration levels - and my chops - need time to build back up.
With composing, if I start with 30 minutes or an hour a day for a while, concentration and focus begin to increase over time. Eventually I find that I’m working straight through two hours without thinking much about it, and then, eventually, beyond.
If you are uncertain about the difficulty of pushing the pencil or the brush, don’t be discouraged if the first half hour is hard. But try to commit to doing something for half an hour a day and see if it doesn’t build up to longer sessions over a few weeks.
Comments