We’ve all felt jealous of other musicians — the friend who won an award, the colleague getting recognition, or the person sharing their music boldly. Jealousy can feel painful or shameful, but it can also teach us something powerful about what we really want.

Sometimes we feel inspired by something — a performance, a painting, a moment in a film — but we don’t know how to bring that feeling into our actual music practice.

There’s a popular saying that if your practice sounds good, you’re doing it wrong. But is that really true?

Sometimes starting something new—especially as a musician—feels awful. You might have had success in the past, maybe even studied music seriously, but right now you're struggling through the beginner stage of a new instrument. And it’s hard.

We all go through plateaus in our music practice. Even when we’re showing up every day, it can feel like we’re not making progress — like something’s stuck, or we’ve lost momentum.

You might feel proud of squeezing your warmups into your commute, or getting through scales while watching Netflix. But if your practice time feels stale or ineffective, this might be why.

There are so many things in music we can't control—competitions, critics, followers, algorithms. It’s easy to get caught up in chasing outcomes that are ultimately out of our hands.

It’s a frustrating feeling: you’re trying to be a good student, but the practice tasks you’re given feel boring, confusing, or disconnected from what you want to play.

Taking a break from music — whether it’s been days, months, or even years — can stir up guilt, self-doubt, or a fear that we’ve lost something we’ll never get back.

Feeling too tired for a full practice session? It’s okay to turn back halfway.

Sometimes your emotions feel too big (or too dull!) to practice through. But what if you could use them?

It’s easy to lose momentum when you’re learning a new instrument or returning after a break.

Sometimes internal motivation just isn’t enough, especially if you’re an adult learning an instrument.

Sometimes our music goals feel so big they actually stop us from practicing.

When we are learning music, especially if we are teaching ourselves, we often just want someone to hand us a method book and tell us exactly what to practice.

When we learn an instrument or to sing, some days feel amazing, some feel frustrating, and some even feel boring.

Sometimes the hardest part of practicing music is just getting started. Borrowing advice from running coaches: when you don’t feel like running, just put on your shoes and step outside.

Feeling low on motivation to practice music today? It happens — sometimes for days, weeks, or even longer.

Some days, music practice feels like a big ask, but staying connected to your instrument or voice doesn’t have to mean pushing through with full energy.

Have you ever felt that rush of inspiration when you first discover something new? But then, the second time you watch, listen to, or read that same thing, it doesn’t have the same power.