10 tips to motivate yourself to practice the handpan

Ah, practice. All those dull finger exercises and monotonous repetitions. Doing the same patterns over again until your brain feels like it is going to dribble out of your ears and onto your desk, ruining your diary.
Your diary: isnât that filled with important stuff you should be doing instead? Plus, you just heard an enticing ping from Facebook. The kids/dog are pestering you for dinner. You have tomorrowâs work presentation to prepare. And youâve been promising to call your mum/mate/dentist for days now. Ok, scales. Fingers. Focus. Nope, itâs no good⊠the appointment to have your abscess drilled suddenly seems more exciting than a trip to Disneyland.
How do you overcome all this? How do you motivate yourself to practice your handpan when modern life is so full of commitments and distractions?
Like everything, it is a state of mind. I love to practice (yes, you read that right and no, Iâm not clinically insane). Here are my top 10 tips that still help to motivate me, and I hope they help you too.
1. Note your goals
Every handpan player has them. Goals like being able to compose a tune in one monthâs time, play something for grandmaâs birthday, do a concert for Christmas, record a CD for next summer. Write them down and put them where youâll see them every day. Itâs a lot easier to stick to a running routine when you have a marathon coming up.
2. Devise a weekly schedule
Thereâs no magic genie lamp that grants instant access to superfast fingers or the skills of Mozart. In the real world, goals take time. So, estimate how long they will take. Then, and hereâs the tricky part, make that time.
I know, you are busier than Donald Trumpâs Twitter account. But if you really analyse your days, youâll be amazed at how many spare minutes you can find. For example:
Cutting down the time you spend on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tinder
Refraining from the latest binge-watch Netflix series or Hollywood blockbuster
While the washing machine is running, the dinner cooking, or every time the kettle is boiling
3. Prioritise
Ok, so you can survive without cute cat videos on YouTube (just). But what about your twice-weekly karate class? Saying âYesâ to the handpan can mean saying âNoâ to something else. Brace yourself for replacing something good with something better.
4. Make physical space
Youâll need somewhere away from the distractions of those you may live with. A dedicated, quiet practice space, or a room with a lock. If thatâs not possible, talk to them in advance and ask them nicely not to interrupt you.
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5. Make mental space
Iâm yet to meet anyone who can multi-task when it comes to learning. So youâll need a dedicated mental space too. Close the laptop, switch off the smartphone, unplug the landline, put gaffer tape over the dogâs mouth. Ok, not the dog. But definitely the others. Practice involves your whole mind. Beeps, rings and pings are a no-no.
6. Think quality not quantity
Practice is not the same thing as playing, nor playing about. That doesnât mean it canât be enjoyable. Afterall, youâre on your way to achieving your goals and thatâs really exciting! The more you practice, the more you are opening up your possibilities, forming muscle memory and boosting your skills. You need to be serious and disciplined about learning. Focused exercises are intense, but a lot more efficient.
7. Find a buddy
Set up regular practice sessions with a handpan friend. This can reignite your enthusiasm and provide essential motivation when itâs running low.
8. Remember the costs
You bought your handpan (and bag/equipment). It was a big investment. So are the lessons. Itâs like weekly football sessions or your gym membership. You paid for it, it is precious. Donât waste it.
9. Remember how far youâve come
Record yourself as you go along. There are few things more rewarding or motivating than watching a video of yourself from the month before and spotting the difference.
10. Look again
Remind yourself of the goal(s) you want to reach. It might be a faded post-it note on your fridge now, but itâs still a super-powerful prod to help you achieve those amazing handpan dreams.
Well I hope youâll be encouraged and motivated to practice a little bit more your handpan đ
What motivates yourself to practice? Any tips you want to share with us?