Fulfilling Dreams
RGT examiner, teacher and NLP researcher, Vic Hyland, explains how to help students fulfil their dreams and rise to challenges…
Sometimes I have strange thoughts; well actually, often I have strange thoughts. In some cases I contemplate the seemingly obvious and discover the overlooked. One case in point is the new pupil who turns up at my door for their first lesson. Why? Is it me? Is it the instrument? Or is it because they have money that is burning a hole in their pocket? Maybe, or is it something else? Probably.
Dream Potential
What I have learnt through my years as a teacher and researcher is that
if you want to maximise your effect on a pupil you have to forget about
yourself and discover the most potent learning tool at your disposal...
their dreams. This has a Taoist or Zen-like effect of no effort creating
extra ordinary results: martial arts with the emphasis on the arts!
The desire and dreams of the client gives you an insight into the powerhouse of that person. Get them striving for their dream whatever that may be: playing to their girlfriend, being a rock star, or playing to a class of schoolchildren, and I guarantee that you will motivate them to overcome any technical hurdles that await them. They will leave your lessons inspired and will put in hours of work because they want to succeed, and they will pay you! Can't be bad.
Emotional Fishing
Remember nothing happens until some emotional connection is made. I call it 'Buying the Shirt', which is that feeling when you decide 'that one is mine' and if someone stole it at that moment – even before you have paid for it – you would consider this to have been a theft from you, not the shop. In the instance of motivating the pupil you are making them connect emotionally with their dream and this is what gives the power and drive to the hard work of practice. Belief is such a powerful thing: make them believe in their dream, help them strive for what they want – not what you think they should have or just what you have to offer. Stretch yourself on their behalf – teach them to fish, but do not fish for them.
We all arrive at our destinations by choices that we have made and continue to make along the way. If I had taken notice of the so called 'advice' given to me when I was at school by my careers teacher I would have been doing something totally different and maybe not be as happy as I am, but I chose to do something else. I truly believe that you have to follow your dreams: even if you fail at least you have tried – you will at least die at peace with yourself on that front.
