Performance and Happiness: New Research Shows Promise for Musicians
Would you like to be a happier and more productive performer? Here is how you can get started: Think about your most recent performance and write down three things that went really well during that performance along with a reason for each of these successes.
Chances are good that, as you become aware of some (maybe unexpected) positive aspects of your performance and how much you controlled these aspects, you may also feel more positive. And this can help you not just on an emotional level. Research detailed in the book Handbook of Positive Psychology (Oxford University Press, 2005) has found that positive emotions have a tremendous advantage over negative emotions during problem-solving tasks.
People experiencing positive emotions tend to exhibit a wider array of action-oriented thoughts than do people who experience negative emotions. In fact, negative emotions tend to narrow the ability to creatively problem-solve. Additionally, positive emotions in the short term may set you up to experience them in the long run too. For musicians this is of great importance, as post-performance thoughts often seek to find solutions for improving performance skills and post-performance mood can be gloomy.
In Pursuit of Happiness
Why else would one make the point to acknowledge what went well in performance? The answer comes from the up-and-coming field of positive psychology: Happiness! Happiness is a big word and this phenomenon has, for the longest time, been viewed as an illusion or a fad. Recently, however, with promising research on well-being and happiness pouring out of the positive psychology movement, the mainstream media along with the general population is starting to catch on as noted in the January 2005 Time Magazine cover story “The Science of Happiness.”
Focusing on human strengths rather than weaknesses helps people live happier and more fulfilled lives. Theorists also agree that experiencing positive emotions and finding meaning in things we do leads to happiness; and this can actually be learned. One key appears to be an active involvement in the pursuit of happiness—the constitutional right of every American.
Musicians can use this knowledge in various ways. First, we need to get away from reviewing our performances purely from a critical angle. This is not to say we should ignore our shortcomings or areas for improvement. Rather, as experts in identifying what needs to improve, we often forget to acknowledge our achievements (particularly the small ones). By learning to first reflect on what went right, we can set ourselves up for a positive emotional experience, leading to a more fruitful reflection on strategies to improve our playing. Furthermore, identifying and expressing which efforts lead to positive performance outcomes can assist a musician in further improving related technical and musical facilities.
Break It Down
Another approach to the post-performance evaluation process includes comparing the level of certain parts of our performance—these can be musical or technical items—to the level achieved in a preceding performance. Comparing achievements keeps us from making absolute and stand-alone self-assessments and instead is putting our accomplishments into a context of our own development and playing level. Furthermore, this approach offers the advantage of breaking a performance into smaller contributing pieces. The sum of these small aspects then makes up the basis from which we can judge the entire performance, protecting us from ruminating about just one thing that went wrong.
Many of us entered the music world because we experienced firsthand how inherently rewarding and gratifying making music can be. It engages us fully, draws on our strengths, and allows us to lose self-consciousness in the moment, all of which are components associated with a phenomenon called flow (and happiness). Flow is known to happen when the challenge of a situation matches one’s skills. Perceiving a challenge as too high causes anxiousness; too low and boredom sets in.
We all have experienced, in or outside of the music realm, that some activities that were initially engaging lose their magic unless the bar is somehow raised. Finding a renewed sense of fulfillment in making music may be accomplished by setting new challenges that are reachable. Those musicians who tend to perceive the challenge of a performance situation as too high might try this: set performance goals that meet your current development and level of playing and refrain from comparing yourself to others—and worst, to perfection. For those who need a spark to re-engage might try this: set performance goals that push you reasonably out of your comfort zone with the pursuit of a musical ideal.
Research detailed in the book The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Truth in Ancient Wisdom (Basic Books, 2006) has shows that participating in something that is perceived as serving a higher purpose leads to satisfaction and happiness. As experts in a domain associated with bringing joy to people, musicians have a huge advantage over most of the rest of the population with respect to doing something meaningful for a living. Sometimes, however, we need to remind ourselves of this privilege.
Expressing Gratitude
Studies described in the book The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want (Penguin Press, 2008) provide evidence that the expression of gratitude can lead to recognizing meaning in life. We can use the same idea for finding meaning in our performance lives by engaging in the following activity: every night for a week write down three things you are grateful for as a musician. These things could include abstract ideas such as talent, enjoyment of making music, or the transcendent experience of touching the audience. Or they could include tangible items such as the quality of an instrument or playing with a reputable group.
Gratefulness could also come from a sense of having worked hard or having overcome obstacles as part of the preparation process. Identifying people to be grateful for as part of the performance process such as a teacher, colleagues, friends, or family could also be on the list. A follow-up could be to actually express gratitude to the people who supported you.
The ideas in this article only represent a sample of positive psychology approaches that could help musicians enhance their performance experiences and general sense of well-being. There are many different things we can do that lead to happiness. As musicians, we can begin by making adjustments to our thinking about performing. Reminding ourselves more often that we are participants in an incredibly fulfilling, exciting, and enjoyable profession is a good first step.
Christine Vitale is an active professional violinist in the Boston area. She is a member of the Boston Ballet Orchestra and she performs with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. As a doctoral candidate in Counseling/Sport Psychology at Boston University, she gives workshops and individual sessions offering performance enhancement skills for musicians. For more information about Christine’s research or performance strategies.
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