Perfectionism - which can be interpreted as a deep-rooted belief that one is not good enough - is a force to be reckoned with in the musical community. Stress in the performing arts has reached almost epidemic proportions. 75% of musicians surveyed internationally reported having one or more performance-related injuries. One quarter of them experienced performance anxiety as a debilitating medical problem. Although there are many underlying causes of performance-related stress and anxiety, the most insidious one is the stance of uncompromising perfectionism.

Extreme perfectionism seems to be rooted in the need for outside approval and validation of one's worth. Whenever musicians receive unfavorable feedback associated with a performance or other musical activity, they often experience it as a reflection of their inherent "badness" and judge themselves harshly as being deficient. Because these musicians' sense of self esteem is dependent on how others perceive them, they often lose touch their own inner reality - the "essential self" - which embodies the individual's unique life purpose, innate gifts, feelings, beliefs and somatic states.

Certainly, perfectionism isn't all bad. It sustains the creative fire that fuels our desire to give the very best that we can. But problems can arise when perfectionism becomes polarized. "Polarized perfectionists" are product rather than process-oriented in their approach to learning and performing music. They rely primarily on on external as opposed to self-generated feedback. They focus a lot on detail, and they tend to forget about their bodies when they practice or play, ignoring its subtle cues for rest or emotional expression.

Often, these musicians are unable to connect mind and heart in the process of playing music. This kind of mindless detachment during practice sessions may be the root cause of many performance-related injuries and anxiety because the musician not consciously "present" while engaged in the musical activity.

Most musicians with the "perfectionist syndrome" have experienced some kind of narcissistic injury or performance-related abuse early in life, usually at the hands of unaware parents or teachers. Depth-oriented regressive music therapy can be an effective treatment for this syndrome. It is also quite possible to change overly perfectionist attitudes and habits on your own by regularly practicing the following simple exercises that can take you to a place of serenity and fullness:

Waste Time

Take a break. This is probably one of the most difficult things for a perfectionist to do consciously. Book stores, record stores, playgrounds, peaceful places in nature, a quiet sunset - find places where you can refrain from doing, letting yourself unwind, entering the imaginal realm.

Meditate

Spend between 10 to 20 minutes each day focusing inward. Allow yourself to be completey alone and undisturbed, sitting comfortably with your spine straight and focusing on the rhythm of your breath. In a short while, your body and mind will begin to relax and a warm glow will emanate out from the center of your being. Meditation helps you shut out the external world and connect deeply with the source of your being - your "essential self."

Improvise

Center yourself and breathe deeply. Listen for your first note. Sound that note and wait for the next one. Play the next note and continue listening to the succeeding notes - then just let go and let the music take you where you need to go. Improvisation connects you to your creative source and strengthens the mind-body connection. On top of that, it's a lot of fun. Do it regularly.

Improvise With Others

Get together with a group of your most creative musical friends and jam (see "The Art of the Jam"). You do not have to set a theme or style for the improvisation. Consider recording the session. You'll be surprised at how wonderful free improvisation can sound. Spend some time processing the experience afterwards. This will help you all to understand your unique musical roles within the group and how the force of the music affected each of you individually and the group as a whole.

Get to Know Your "Inner Critic"

If you truly listen to the inner dialogue that goes on in your head regarding performance issues, you can begin to discriminate between helpful criticism (like "You need to take more time to ground and center yourself before playing.") and destructive criticism (like "You aren't good enough. Who do you think you are? You'd better start thinking about selling shoes instead of playing music."). These voices are usually internalized when we are quite young. You can change this negative self-talk by examining the truthfulness of the statements. If you sense that a statement is untrue, cruel or exaggerated, choose to let it go and replace it with an affirmation like "I am well-prepared and will joyfully give my very best in my upcoming performance." As you let go of the inner critic, perfectionism can return to its normal function in your musical life, and playing music can once again become an awesome adventure.

Nurture Yourself

Be kind to yourself. Take some time each day to acknowledge your innate perfection and take good care of yourself. Treat yourself to healthy food, good music, relaxing habits and massage, and quality time with yourself and your loved ones.

Summary

Explore all of the above techniques for de-polarizing perfectionism and achieving harmony and balance in your lives. Be patient - even with devoted practice, it may take quite a while to unravel the paradox within the creative mind. For those who can let go of the compulsive need to be perfect and can uncover the "essential self," there is only an ongoing celebration of life and a childlike anticipation of the infinite possibilities yet to come!