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Music lessons are often driven by parental regrets or one's desire for social admiration.

Motivation often stems from a psychological shift to move from inferiority to competency.

A productive orientation frees musicians from the toxic trap of seeking public approval.

What are our intentions when we sign ourselves or our children up for music lessons? Do we entertain visions of great accomplishment, accompanied by great admiration from others? Do we imagine being noticed, respected, or envied by others whom we feel have not recognized, have ignored, or have dismissed us in the past? Is our desire for our children to learn an instrument entangled with our own regrets and feelings of failure? Do we desire to enjoy learning an instrument, or is something else driving us?

These are important questions to ask oneself when taking music lessons, and are at the heart of the question of process-focused versus product-focused motivation.

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