You Don’t Need More Discipline. You Need Better Practice Systems

You're breaking in new reeds. You have a rep list a mile long. You've decided that this year you'll finally get through all the Baermann scales, organize your long tones, stay consistent, and really "put in the work."

Every August, I notice the same thing.

Whether it's in my studio or with clarinetists at DCA, everyone comes back from summer energized and full of big plans.

And then, by week three, half of it has gone bye-bye.

The plans aren't necessarily bad. I love a big, ambitious rep list!

So what goes wrong?

It's usually not a lack of discipline.

It's a lack of structure.

The problem isn't that you don't care enough

We often respond to an inconsistent practice routine by telling ourselves we need more discipline.

But imagine walking into the practice room, opening your case, and seeing a huge list of things you're supposed to accomplish.

If you're already tired or overwhelmed, the thoughts might be:

"Holy crap, this is too much."

"I'm lazy."

"I'm just not good at this."

Notice the difference between those statements.

"I'm lazy" is a verdict about who you are.

"I'm overwhelmed by this list" is simply an observation about what you're feeling.

Research from Matthew Lieberman and his colleagues at UCLA found that putting feelings into words can help reduce emotional distress. Instead of judging yourself, try naming what's actually happening:

"I feel overwhelmed by this list."

Sometimes that small shift is enough to create some space between the feeling and the action.

And once you've named the feeling, you can actually do something about it.

Then make the habit ridiculously small

This is where BJ Fogg's work on Tiny Habits comes in.

The idea is simple: instead of relying on motivation to make yourself do something difficult, shrink the action until it's almost impossible to fail.

Instead of:

"I'll practice scales for an hour every day."

Try:

"I'll open my instrument case."

That's it.

It might sound almost absurdly small, but that's the point.

Opening the case gets you past the biggest barrier: starting.

Once you're there, you may practice your scales. You may work on your long tones. You may even have a great session.

But the goal isn't to force yourself to do all of that through sheer willpower.

The goal is to make starting easier.

Build anchors into your routine

Another idea from Fogg that I love is the anchor: connect a new habit to something that already happens.

For example:

• After I pour my coffee, I open my practice journal.
• After I put my case down, I write one line about yesterday's session.
• After I finish warming up, I play one scale.

You're not creating another decision from scratch.

You're attaching the new behavior to something that's already part of your day.

That's what good systems do. They reduce the amount of willpower you need.

Clear space and figure out what you actually need

Sometimes the answer isn't adding another practice goal.

It's removing something.

Clear out the old materials that no longer belong on your stand. Reconsider the exercises you're doing simply because you've always done them. Give yourself permission to let go of what isn't serving you right now.

Then ask:

What do I actually need?

Maybe you need to move or exercise before practicing.

Maybe you need to check and swab your reeds first.

Maybe long tones need to come before excerpts—or maybe your current goals make excerpts the better starting point.

Maybe you practice better at school or work than you do at home.

There isn't one perfect practice routine.

There is the routine that actually supports the musician you are right now.

Build infrastructure, not dependence on motivation

Fall is a wonderful opportunity to begin again with purpose.

It's a chance to establish good habits, renew your relationship with your instrument, take on challenges that are difficult and worth doing, and contribute to something larger than yourself.

But you don't need to enter the season promising yourself that you'll finally become more disciplined.

Build the infrastructure instead.

Discipline is a feeling. Feelings are weather. Some days they're there, and some days they aren't.

You can't build an audition season on weather.

Infrastructure is different.

It's the thing that holds you up on the days when the feeling doesn't show up—the days when you're tired, overwhelmed, distracted, or standing in front of your case calling yourself lazy.

So this season, don't ask:

"How can I become more disciplined?"

Ask:

"What can I change about my environment, routine, and systems so that the work becomes easier to start?"

That's a much more useful question.

TOOLS FROM THE TOOLBOX

That's what DCA was built for! Getting better tools in your hands. Tools for technique, artistry, mindset, habits, wellness, joy. Here are links to our toolbox. Grab what you need!

​

📔 THE CLARINET PLANNER Do you need a practice buddy? Look no further than the 4-month, fillable practice planner made just for clarinetists! Not only does it include practice and habit tracking, but it includes exercises, practice tips, goal setting help & more! (15 left). Go to the ​→​ C​larinet Planner​

📖 PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE PLANNER 6-month planner for the whole musician, organized around a 3-section Roadmap followed by the Dashboard, all the blank monthly and weekly spreads, plus templates. Built to be infrastructure, in a form quiet enough to feel like sanctuary. Click for the ​→​ P​urpose Planner​

📘 THE FOUNDATIONS PACKET A daily regimen for conditioning with over 20 pages walking you through the fundamentals stack (and why it matters) Get the ​→​ Foundations Packet​

🎯 THE 28-DAY SCALE RESET 28 days of downloadable packets in every key plus 4 non-major/minor packets (chromatic, whole tone, improvisation, and a flash card set) and 3 bonus video lessons. Join the → 28-DAY SCALE RESET​

⭐️ FREE RESOURCES Along with planners and packets, here are some freebies that focus in on a few good topics. Help yourself to →  Resources​

🎤 LIVE IN CLUB DCA
​Speaking of Club DCA — if you're not in yet, here's what it actually is: expanded clarinet content, special featured clarinetist workshops and masterclasses, pop-up group lessons, exclusive "close friend" stories on Instagram, and a direct line of connection with us and other clarinetists. It's $5/month, cancel any time, and you're in within minutes — full access on desktop or the mobile app, right at your fingertips.

And this month we're thrilled to have Jenny Maclay (Jenny Clarinet) with us — soloist, recitalist, orchestral player, chamber musician, pedagogue, and content creator based in Paris, who's lived everywhere from the Faroe Islands to Svalbard and is heading back to the Arctic this winter for a series of concerts on Polar Night!

Here's what's coming:

⭐ IG Live: In Conversation — August 19th, 1PM ET / 7PM CET
⭐ IG Takeover: Behind the Scenes — August 27th, all day
⭐ Masterclass: Building a Better Warm-Up Routine — August 30th, 12PM ET / 6PM CET

The warm-up masterclass in particular is the perfect pairing with everything above — foundations and scales are the material, but a real warm-up routine is what makes them stick day to day.

If you've been meaning to join Club DCA, this is a good week to do it.

Be part of → Club DCA 

​

​

Happy practicing! disci

Ixi & team dca

​