No Doubt.

Yesterday, I had the great fortune of meeting Serena.

Formerly a law office assistant, she became a businesswoman, picking up car sharing passengers to supplement her income. 

She immediately asked me if I taught piano, and before I could even say, "Oui" she gave me her story.

Born and raised in France, she took lessons in school, but they were group courses with many people in a room and not much individual attention. In fact, one teacher straight-up tried to discourage her from playing.

Serena's desire to learn never ebbed. If anything, it grew over the years, through raising her children, changing careers, moving to a new country, learning a new language and on and on.

After much turmoil and great challenges, she decided a few days ago that she was going to take charge of her life and live it the way she imagined. She decided to take the reins of her life.

One of the things she wanted to do was play the piano. She decided she was going to do it, and she would find the best teacher for her life.

I'm not accurately conveying the passion with which she said this, but trust me, she was quite clear on playing the piano, okurrr?

And then I appeared. (What you want wants you. Isn't it wonderful to experience that firsthand?)

The ride was exciting and interesting and we both found ourselves speaking rapidly and with enthusiasm.

I could tell throughout it all that she was searching to determine if this stranger in the back seat of her car was actually the real deal. And I admit, it is tempting in that moment to try to figure out what to say to convince someone of that. 

Instead, I surrendered to the moment and told her the truth.

I told her that I was shocked that a teacher would not support her in that endeavor. The ability to create vibrations that are pleasing to others and to yourself is a skill anyone can develop with care and joy.

There will be times when she'll get discouraged when learning how to play the piano. That's a natural part of it because your mind wants to be able to get there, but your physical skills and theoretical understanding haven't caught up yet. So there has to be one person in your life who will be rock solid in holding the lantern through those mental caverns as you navigate through that. That's my job.

And I have to enter that job with 100% knowing in my bones that no matter what obstacles you think you have that will prevent you from learning, I can help you overcome them, work around them or, even better, incorporate them in your learning. I have to be that sure. Any doubt, even a smidgeon, is too much.

We arrived at my destination, and that was it. I didn't even have cards on me to give to her (a rarity) because I was at my very empty new house, so we exchanged numbers.

When I settled down for the evening, I realized it doesn't matter if she calls. What matters is that she now knows she can do it, and there are piano instructors who will do what it takes for her to achieve her dream.

That's what everyone wants. 

We teach this.

Tina L, multiple award winning teacher, producer, and composer, is the founder of The Piano Instructor. Her curriculum, Musical Kinetics, teaches teachers how to create musicians for life. It is field tested by teachers, written by a teacher, and perfected as students respond and science provides more information. It is available here.