"Destructive self-criticism stops you from creating. Divine dissatisfaction inspires you to go on." — Ellen Burstyn, actor
Ms. Burstyn said this in a segment of Inside the Actors Studio. When I heard it, I immediately wrote it down in my Big Orange Book.
Along the same lines, pianist Stephen Hough wrote this recently on Twitter:
"Practising at any age: calm, concentrated, devoted, perfection as much as you can ... but kind to yourself, smiling, relaxed!"
When I read this, I thought back to all the years I cursed like a sailor and yelled at myself in practice sessions, called myself an idiot, threw music scores and even a jar of sun tea across the room, and banged my fists on the piano keys in frustrated rage. No wonder I now suffer from high blood pressure. If I'd known then what I know now ... nah. I'd still call myself an idiot. Too bad. Who knows how much more I would have accomplished, had I been kinder to myself and not given in to "destructive self-criticism"?
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