I hate it, but I love it.

At first, I thought it was a strange thing to say. But the weird thing is: it works!! I find myself catching a second wind, pushing me through to the end. 

And it got me thinking: what if we applied that same mindset to practicing bass? After all, some days and some routines just feel harder than others. 

Try this:

Make two quick lists:

The “Hate” List (a few examples from mine):

• Not seeing progress as fast as I want

• Logging tempos, areas, and keys, tracking bar numbers (it’s tedious)

• Resisting mindless noodling, “I just wanna play” 

• Some days getting started

The “Love” List:

• The feeling of the strings under my fingers

• Getting into a groove and losing track of time

• That moment when the warmup kicks in

• When something clicks that didn’t yesterday

• The satisfying feeling after a good session

• Simply the fact that I practiced

Now pair one from each list:

“I hate tracking bar numbers… but I love the moment when something finally clicks.”
“It’s hard to start sometimes… but I always love the fact that I practiced.”

Suddenly the resistance softens. It’s just one part of the bigger picture.
It reminds you why you’re doing this in the first place.

Make sure to say them in that order: 
 but

So next time practice feels like a chore?

Tell yourself:
I hate it… but I love it.
And get to it!

It’s a shift in mindset – but it’s also a shift in identity. High five to practicing you!

Let me know what you’d put on your lists – hit reply or leave a comment.

With groove,
Ari