Someone said something the other day that really resonated with me. He said, “Even if you feel like you’re having an off day, every time you pick up your instrument, you’re getting better than you were yesterday.”
It resonated because it’s something that I’ve been wanting to say about practice sessoins, but I couldn’t get the words to gel in my mind. When he said it, my jaw dropped and I thought, “Someone put it into words!”
Suzuki said, “Only practice on the days you eat.”
Mary Kay Ash said, “If you take a day off, you’ll have an off day.”
I’ve already talked about practice vs play, but sometimes a practice session can be just playing things you already know because it’s fun or because it feels good. You’re still moving forward, even if you’re playing things that you already know.
I’m not saying that you should substitute playing for having a regular practice session every day, but it might be nice to play once a week instead of practicing. You’re still at your instrument. You may not be moving forward as fast as you like, but you’re keeping it fun.