Do you ever feel there is an inner voice speaking to you, telling you that you’re not very good, or you can’t do it, or there’s just not enough confidence and repertoire with you? This is the voice that calls itself “I” right? Let’s refer to this as Self 1, and Self 2 as the normal you, the real you that has the masses of potential.

Self 1 is our interference and concepts such as our judgements, associations, how things should be and uses words such as “should” and “shouldn’t”. Have you ever noticed that? For example, “you shouldn’t play there tonight because the audience are just going to laugh at you.” Self 2 is the large reservoir of potential within each one of us. It’s our natural abilities and talents and the unlimited resource we can tap into and develop. If it’s on it’s own, it can perform with gracefulness and ease.

The equation is simple. The more you minimise Self 1, the better Self 2 performs. Therefore, the more you work on things like your confidence, practice, and performance, conquering that silly inner voice, the better you will play and enjoy it.

It’s good to be aware of how Self 1 came into the act so that you can notice it and conquer it when necessary. At a young age, children are great natural learners. The first eight years of their lives are crucial as this is when they are in an open space and receptive to different things that come in front of them. What we’re taught by our first teachers – our parents – is Self 2 but gradually is changed as we are open to a wider audience. We begin to collect ideas, attitudes, concepts and other beliefs and draw our own conclusions which get Self 1 in the act as it tells Self 2 that it’s wrong. As a life coach for musicians, my purpose is to help musicians regain that natural talent and ability they hold within them.

Self 1 always tries to attract our attention away from the music we are playing or listening to, like a child interrupting their parent in a conversation just because he wants something. It’s very difficult, or nearly impossible, to just demolish Self 1, but you can change your focus, making it difficult for that Self 1 voice.

To begin coping with our Self 1, recognize that it’s not just going to get up and go away. As it talks to us, we have a natural tendency to talk back – just like any other conversation. Not only is Self 1 talking, but our natural responses are getting in the way. You don’t have to talk back to Self 1, so don’t do it. By focusing on a particular part of the music such as the notes, sounds, sights, the way in which we are involved in the music, something that’s happening in the present, etc.

That’s the best technique you’ll ever get and every great musician will tell you what the power of focus has in music. This article forms as a basic introduction into Self 1 and Self 2 so that you become more aware of it, and can understand what to do.

How much of your potential will you release?

For each individual problem, there is a different specific type of focus and the most common ones are discussed in the “Express Yourself” for Musicians workbook.