The Mind Over Finger Podcast 245 Long-Term Growth vs. Short-Term Pressure: Why Trying to Master Everything Is Slowing You Down and How to Fix It
Jan 16, 2026
Feeling overwhelmed by balancing long-term goals and short-term demands? Discover how perfectionism might be stalling your progress and learn to separate growth work from prep work. Explore practical tools like time-blocking to structure your practice effectively. With insights on protecting your mental health and maintaining joy, you'll be guided to manage expectations and embrace flexibility in your approach. This discussion empowers you to make intentional choices and feel secure in your journey toward mastery.
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Perfectionism Slows Both Short And Long-Term Progress
- Chasing long-term mastery and short-term deadlines at once breeds overwhelm and stalls progress.
- Perfectionism on big goals can sabotage immediate performance and delay both outcomes.
When Technique Work Derails Audition Prep
- Preparing an audition while changing technique often leads to long, unproductive practice stretches.
- You end up neither learning the piece nor fixing the technique, which leaves you discouraged.
Compartmentalize Practice Into Clear Segments
- Compartmentalize practice into growth segments for technique and delivery segments for performance prep.
- Prioritize one segment per session so neither long-term nor urgent needs derail the other.