Imagine if you were taking a music lesson and then taking that lesson with you to work—to ask for a raise.
Well, that’s precisely what happened to one student whose teacher had studied with Noa Kageyama, a performance psychologist. “I remember working with a teacher.. [about] how to get centered or how to get it to a better headspace, right before performing a piece,” Kageyama told me recently. The teacher passed along this lesson to one of her students. The student applied this lesson at work when she asked for a raise and got it.
Noa’s Journey
Kageyama, who teaches at Julliard as well as via his online courses, works with students seeking to improve their focus and reduce anxiety. This issue is something Kageyama has first-hand experience. “I started playing the violin at age two and very quickly realized that I experienced, I didn’t have the words for it back then, but I certainly got nervous even at the age of four or five when I was performing in front of crowds of people. And I just thought that was part of the deal and it wasn’t pleasant, it wasn’t fun and sort of sometimes dreaded performing. And that obviously led to my fair share of memory slips and often relatively consistently subpar performances, sometimes relatively catastrophic level performances where I wished I could turn invisible and just disappear and walk off stage and never have to see these people ever again.”
Fortunately, while doing his Master’s at Julliard, he discovered the study of performance psychology. He realized that helping other musicians overcome his obstacles was his true calling, so he got a Ph.D. in this discipline at Indiana University. Kateyama has taught over 8000 students through his various online courses and his work has been featured in major news and trade media.
Avoiding the perfection trap
So often, students and performers alike become trapped by the perfection complex. “We all start to get to a point at some point where we realize that it’s more important to have something to say than to be note perfect or technically exact, because honestly, the level of exactness that I think sometimes we strive for is barely perceptible even to other musicians, sometimes those who play the same instrument, let alone those who don’t play the same instrument, never mind the general audience who’s really just there not for technical perfection, but to enjoy what it is that they’re hearing.” What matters is the music and how the musician makes it become experiential.
Improving Your Own Performance
Praise does help musicians increase their confidence, but it can be a two-sided coin. If the student becomes hooked more on external validation rather than intrinsic, they may not truly develop their musicianship. Instead, says Kateyama, there must be a balance between praise and criticism. Kageyama cites the example of John Wooden, the legendary coach of the UCLA Bruins; during his tenure, the Bruins won ten of 12 NCAA titles. Wooden’s approach was to balance praise with affirmation but spend most of his coaching time on instruction, showing players the right techniques to apply at the right time. Wooden’s approach enabled players to absorb lessons in a non-judgmental way.
Doing the work
Via his Bullet Proof Musician blog, Kateyama explores topics of resilience, courage and confident – all topics that can help students mold a mindset. Setbacks are a constant for many musicians, as well as the rest of us. Kateyama writes, “See if you can embrace this as an opportunity to practice the skill of responding to setbacks. Take a moment to remind yourself that everyone who is at a higher level now, was once upon a time, in your shoes too.” Learning from others who have experienced similar setbacks may “not only raises your self-esteem, but makes for more hopeful and optimistic practice, too.”
Applying the lessons of practicing music can help non-musicians. Kateyama shares a conversation he had with a sales executive who, though very successful, was experiencing “a lot of discomfort in certain aspects of sales, certain kinds of clients, certain types of engagements.” Such discomfort is common to musicians learning new pieces, practicing their repertoire, or performing in public. Kateyama suggested that the executive do what musicians do: record themselves. For example, a salesperson could record themselves practicing a sales call, dealing with a touch customer, or explaining an issue to their boss. By studying how they speak, they can evaluate their performance, much as a musician listens to recordings of themselves.
Overcoming anxiety during the performance is an issue not just for musicians but for anyone who must perform, either on stage, giving a presentation or gearing up to meet a tight deadline. Learning to focus on and bring your skills to the forefront is essential. Technique plays a role, but confidence does too. Earning confidence comes from doing a good job, and knowing that you can continue to do it at a level that delivers positive results is essential.
Click here to view my full LinkedIn Live interview with Noa Kateyama