What If I'm Not Inspired?

Over the years, I’ve heard numerous world-class musicians talk about their relationship with practice as one that is stemmed from discipline more so than from inspiration. Inspiration is great and can be actively cultivated, but it is inevitably fleeting, so relying on that to be the reason one takes the horn out of the case each day may not be the most reliable plan. The process of creation or improvement requires attention at consistent intervals; for musical improvement, that usually means daily. For writers, I’m sure it’s also a daily process, but for me, as a musician that recently discovered I enjoy writing, my interval is about 2-4 times a week at minimum.

At the moment, I certainly feel that I am void of inspiration, but mostly as a writer or a creator of content that is not strictly trombone playing. The keystrokes that are being made to make this sentence are coming from a hotel room in Lebanon, New Hampshire. They feel like a response to my own cognitive dissonance, a protest to my current lack of creative energy and a rather annoying headache I’m dealing with. I’m finding value in coming up with something to say when the words are not flowing as freely as they have in the past. I won’t always have some opinion or story that is weighing on my mind, but I think the quickest way for this section of my website to look abandoned is if I wait around to “feel” it, and I don’t want that to happen.

So how does this relate to you, the reader? Whether it’s on your musical journey or any personal/professional endeavor, there should be a series of non-negotiable actions that take place consistently over time, rain or shine. If weight loss is your current concern, maybe logging your food each day, no matter how annoying that might be (or despite the guilt that sets in over the chocolate cake - I’ve been there). If you’re looking to gain knowledge, even five pages read from that dense book you’ve been avoiding is something to celebrate. For musicians, the non-negotiables are likely fundamentals. You’re never too good for simple building blocks played well with a mind on ease of delivery, and those easy exercises or melodies can sometimes spark the inspiration to reach further on a day that initially seemed like it was lost before it started.

Subjectively, this blog is probably not my best or most captivating work. However, it’s an offering to myself and to you, the reader, of a spirit of forward momentum on the winding road of progress. If you read this I appreciate you and wish you well on your own journey in whatever part of it you find yourself on today.