This is Katie Kate Voss, who was one of my former high school students. (Whoa.) I love her now even more than I loved her then—she even makes a cameo in the last scene of my memoir. Kate has recently gone all in on trying to make a go of music full time—a move I wholeheartedly applaud. 

Kate’s Double Short: 

After countless years of education with countless teachers and even a career in education for a decade, I got the best advice from an 8 year-old student. 

I grew up playing the piano and any kid who grew up playing an instrument is told “practice makes perfect.” This is the worst advice I’ve ever heard! But I didn’t know that at the time.

When we are young, we don’t know that “perfect” is an abstract, unattainable fantasy that we will chase for our entire careers while pumping out beautiful songs or imagery or poems and in the meantime think all our art and our voices are worthless because they are not “PERFECT”.

When you combine perceived societal expectations and your own impossible standards of perfection you’re left with a self-loathing artist who leads a miserable existence of never measuring up.

So one day, as a fresh, bright-eyed music teacher at the ripe old age of 23, I was giving my “you should practice more” speech (in the most fun and encouraging way possible) when I found myself regurgitating that horrible advice from my childhood: “You know, practice makes perfect,” I said, with mild enthusiasm and only slightly believing the words coming out of my mouth.

And she said the single best thing I have ever heard: “Well, I like to say 'practice makes progress'”.

My jaw dropped. My mind was blown. That’s it! That’s the key! Life is not a destination, it’s a journey! Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes progress!!! That’s why you practice!!!!!

From that moment on, I approached the “you should practice more” speech very differently with my students. And approached my own practices differently. From my vocals to piano to mantras to aerobics. I re-learned that whatever you choose to do in life, you will get better at it by practicing it. 

Kindness, jump-roping, bee keeping, basket weaving…Practice makes progress. Thanks for the lesson, wise 8 year old student.

Dear Kate—all I want in life is to do some jump roping with you. And you, readers, if you’d like to hear Kate’s angelic/sultry voice—go to katevoss.com to check out her performance schedule or click here for some Sweet Georgia Brown.