Motivation

On January 4th, the University of Utah published the results of the Online Learning Survey conducted at the ends of each of the last two semesters. By administering this survey, University officials hoped to learn how well (or how poorly) we all adjusted to Zoom-based education. 

Based on the data, administrators identified the "Top three challenges encountered when taking online classes." Perhaps unsurprisingly, the number one challenge—experienced by more than half of survey respondents (57.65%)—was personal motivation. 

As we embark on another semester of online learning, this is something we have to address. We can't go on with business as usual when we have identified an issue that has led to struggles for more than half of the University community.

For this reason, I scoured my bookshelf, which contains more than 100 texts on voice, singing, and vocal pedagogy that I've been compiling since my first undergraduate vocal pedagogy class (in 1994!). I looked in the table of contents and index of every book to see if I could find anything on "motivation" or closely related terms. I was hoping to find information specific to motivation when it comes to musical and vocal practice that might be useful in springing us into action and out of the complacency that online learning can allow.  

Disappointingly, the majority of the books had no mention whatsoever of motivation, ambition, or even inspiration, unless it was in reference to breathing. It's a little surprising that all of these volumes devoted to pedagogy, which is defined as "the method and practice of teaching," would not have anything addressing how to motivate students to learn. What good is knowing how the singing voice functions if I can't inspire students to want to learn? 

Thankfully, I did eventually find a few books that discussed the topic, which I will explore over the next few blogs of the semester. 

The first mention I found was in Finding Your Voice: A Practical and Spiritual Approach to Singing and Living by Carolyn Sloan. She points out that when people fail, it's not always because of an absence of training or skill. Rather, it's often due to an absence of desire. She writes, "A lack of desire then becomes a lack of energy and a lack of energy causes our persistence to waver until it finally disappears altogether." (34)

If you are struggling with motivation, she suggests asking yourself this basic question: "Do I really want this?" As it relates to vocal work, I think the question may be, "Do I really want to become a more skilled and expressive singer?" If the answer is "yes," then the next question is, from a day-to-day or practice-by-practice basis, "Am I willing, TODAY, to do the work that will lead me to become a more skilled and expressive singer, even if I don't see those results immediately?" 

Sloan also believes desire is directly tied to imagination, stating, "Most activities in life require an overlapping of desire, imagination, skill, and training." (36) She suggests exercising and honing the imagination so we are better able to envision ourselves with the skill set we would like to possess. In other words, once you have decided if you really want to become a more skilled and expressive singer, you should use your imagination to identify what that may actually look and sound like. As Sloan says, "When you are sure of your intentions and the quality of your desire, the journey will be pleasant and the learning will be easier." (34)

Consider exploring these perspectives if you are feeling a lack of motivation or desire. Ask yourself if you really do want the skills you are tasked with building. Ask yourself if you are willing to work today, even in a small way or for a short amount of time, toward building those skills. Imagine what those skills would feel like and sound like in your body and your voice. 

And then go practice.