Five keys to revive your childhood dreams

Nathan, nine, finally finds the courage to share his secrets with his piano teacher.

“When I grow up, I want to be a concert pianist,” he said. He expected praise, imagined the joy of the teacher, and imagined performing in the concert hall for the cheers and screams of “Bravo!”

“Sorry, Nathan,” she sighed terribly. “You don’t have talent.”

More than 60 years later, those words are still stabbed. “I felt absolutely crushed and worthless,” Nathan recalls. “Not only as a musician, but also as a person.”

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of taking part in Nathan’s concert pianist debut in front of a sold-out hall in New York City. What’s the most notable part? Nathan is 75 years old and is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to wake up a dream again.

Deep influences of early experience

Words have great power in children’s lives. As adults, the way we talk to children often takes root on them Unconscious. Our words can be inspiring and lifted, hurt or crushed.

The impact of Nathan’s early experience with piano teachers cannot be underestimated. My personal Weekly Treatment Group Often confesses that they feel troubled by the critical language of adults Childhood– Adults who underestimate them and weaken them dream Instantly with a critical phrase or sentence.

For years, Nathan’s piano teacher slaps his hand whenever he makes a mistake. He was abused and absorbed her lack of belief in him. She felt that he was not exaggerated, and Nathan came to believe that he was. “I felt like that kind of failure. I decided that it would be better not to see,” Nathan recalls.

Later in his life he embraced his status as an elementary school music teacher and put aside his dream of performing in concerts.

The path to regaining your dreams

One morning, a week after he retired from teaching, Nathan sat in front of a Buddhist altar. The sun rose just outside his windows, casting a long shadow over the building of his apartment. A dedicated Buddhist practitioner for over 40 years, Nathan never misses his morning chant. But on that particular morning a new thought came to his mind: “Would you like to try again? What do you need to lose?”

When Nathan first heard of Taubman piano techniques, he thought, “I’m too old to learn new techniques.” However, he negated the unwillingness and booked a session. After the first lesson, Nathan said, “I was in shock! I discovered that my childhood piano teacher was negligent and not me. I had to fix my technique. It wasn’t my talent – it was my teacher! ”

It took Nathan six years to relearn how to play the piano. But in the end he discovered that he could play completely classic works Confidence. In fact, there was nothing he couldn’t play.

How to start again

Nathan’s story inspires people in his community for one simple reason. He didn’t give up. The concert was not a miracle. That was the result of a tough job. He didn’t make his age or past experiences define his future. Nathan also started a music hangout in his apartment and in his local park. This provides opportunities for friends and neighbors to gather together and play. “I wanted to use music to bring people together,” he shared.

I sat with Nathan after his concert and he offered insight to anyone struggling to regain his dreams. Here are some:

1. Find a new teacher. Play sports, make art, play music, bad teachers can undermine your talent by focusing on your limitations and anxiety, or by injuring your confidence in criticism. If you keep leaving your class as desperate and defeated, it’s probably time to consider a new teacher.

2. Dress up with people who believe in you. If your friends don’t provide encouragement or support, find better friends, especially when you’re struggling. Nathan shared with me that the key to his positive outlook is the monthly neighborhood Buddhist conference he hosts at home. “I love holding meetings because the Buddhist community fills me with hope. After each meeting, I’m totally refreshed.

3. set the goal. Setting goals gives you the target, structure and orientation. Ikeda Daisaku, a Buddhist peace activist who inspires Nathan, wrote:

4. Don’t give up. There are dark days when you want to abandon your goals. Nathan certainly felt like giving up on many occasions. However, he continues to face obstacles and trusts spiritual Community as a constant source of strength and renewal: “My friends of Buddhist customs and faith remind me every day that there is hope where there is faith. The concert was proof of that. Throughout the performance, I was totally confident. No one was surprised more than me!”

5. Practice, practice, practice. Without sustained commitment and continuous effort, you cannot master something. Even natural talent fades over time. Wear one small step at a time every day and work steadily. As Nathan has proven, such an effort is the greatest path to correcting your dreams. The boy, who decided that it was better not to be visible, is now center stage, urging others not to give up on their dreams.