My youngest son had his first violin recital this week and I couldn’t be prouder. As adults we often overlook the monumental lessons our kids learn during these events. I think we can learn from them too. Here a few life lessons I pulled out of a 4th grade music recital.
- It takes courage to do something new. This was my son’s first recital and he was brave enough to do a duet with another student and a solo accompanied by his teacher. It’s takes courage to try something new, especially in front of an audience of people.
Take on that new project. Volunteer to speak at your next conference. Post an article on LinkedIn. Kids are doing new things all the time. We can too.
- Sometimes it’s best to stop and start over from the beginning. At a recital you will often see a child stop because they are confused and then start over. When did we unlearn how to do this?
I’ve done presentations where I could feel I wasn’t communicating what I wanted. Instead of trudging on I’ve learned to stop and restart the concept I was working on. It’s uncomfortable but it’s better than confusing your audience. If you get stuck mid stream on a project, stop and start over until you find your way again.
- It’s OK to ask for help. There were many moments where students would look up at their teacher for guidance on the right note or tempo for the song. With a little help they often got back on track.
In the big boy/big girl world we live in I see too many people struggle in their jobs and lives when all they need to do is ask for help. You will be amazed at how willing people are to help you.
- You don’t need to be in perfect tune to understand the music. In a grade school recital there are a lot of squawks and squeaks, but in the end we all know it’s Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Perfection is often the enemy of the good. I’ve seen too many people get stuck or spend an enormous amount of energy trying to perfect what ever they are working on. Unless you are working on a implantable device, most of the time good enough is fine and is quicker to get to.
If you have a kid or know a kid, take some time to observe what they are doing. You’ll be surprised at how often they are trying something new, emerging with more confidence and courage as a result. Unleash the kid in you and try something new today.