[pianotech] WIll-- Learning stuff

[William Truitt]

Failure is often the first step to mastery.  If you have never failed, you
haven't aimed very high.  The kindest thing you can do for your craft is to
give yourself the freedom to fail.

This winter I have been prepping for my Level II certification in ski
teaching for PSIA.  As part of that process, I have been doing many clinics,
performing a variety of tasks - some that I do well, some that I don't do
very well at all.  The people that I am working with are looking at my
skiing all the time.  At the beginning of the winter season, I made the
decision to put my ego in the locker for the season.  So I am able to take
commentary about the things I am not performing correctly without the angst,
and begin to make the adjustments I need.  There is no negativity in the
advice I receive, and I place none on myself.  It is simply an atmosphere
where the people who teach want me to succeed, my co-clinicians want me to
succeed (and I them), and I want to succeed.  

Well, it's a blast.  I am having so much fun, and I am learning, learning,
learning, and getting better.  It's a supportive environment in which I am
constantly challenged to be better, and failure everyday is a necessary and
unavoidable part of the process.  I like what Jim sways about going public
with the failure.  It's only negative if WE attach that to it for ourselves.
That's good, because that's something we have control over.  

Almost all of the people offering us advice here want us to succeed,
otherwise why would they bother?

Will Truitt

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of jimialeggio
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 12:23 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] WIll-- Learning stuff

The pianos that I have learned the most from are the ones
that kicked my ass-  Will Truitt

Amen.  In the shop, on my lonesome, I'm really comfortable 
non-judgmentally taking the licking and then strategizing on how to 
learn form it and improve things. In the shop, I know that failure 
treated thoughtfully is a friend.

The trick for me on this has been to be more comfortable going public 
with the failure. When outside, public input is required I easily attach 
negative meaning to the disclosure...emotional meaning; what a useless, 
counterproductive, creativity sapping, unnecessary, @#$%^ pain in the butt.

Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
978- 425-9026
Shirley, MA



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