“Don’t think so much lah! Just do!!!” – Voice in my head.

Recently, I got scolded in my DJ class.

Oddly enough, it felt correct that I would get scolded, and it ended up influencing a big part of my current behavior and probably will in the days ahead.

The scolding was this:

Don’t just “think” so much about things – just do them.

The person who scolded me was saying this in light of some of my theorizing about DJ sets and trying to make certain techniques happen, after which he asked if I had done any of the things I had said; I replied “no”, and then he said “then why talk so much about it?” – in the same conversation, he may or may not have used the term “stupid” several times in relation to something I had done.

Sounds bad? Terrible? Demoralizing?

I actually didn’t think so.

See, I think I’ve come to a realization: The person who has the right to scold me is the smart person – so if you are a smart person (as in you’re actually a smart person – not someone who THINKS that you are smart, as there is a huge difference), please scold me!

Like anyone else, I don’t enjoy getting scolded (ok, I’m sure there are some weirdos out there who do but that doesn’t apply here) – but if the person who is scolding me is THAT talented (which he is – the man is an absolute artist; more on this later), I’m totally good with it.

But I will not completely agree with it without processing.

The spirit of the idea is quite simple:

Rather than playing with words and paragraphs to describe something you would like to do, do the thing. Do not be theorizing constantly – without bringing something into reality, you have no foot to stand on except that of self-satisfaction – and that condition will not last, as you will just topple over.

Importantly, practice what you have learned in the context and manner in which you are going to use it.

On first glance, most of this makes sense and is sensible advice for someone like me, who likes to theorize about things – I like to research different things, watch tutorials, and understand things in depth even when it’s unclear that there is an application for these things. (You could call it a personality flaw perhaps, though I might call it interest!)

But I think it would be remiss of us to throw out theorizing and understanding in lieu of practice.

I would like to say “studies have shown” that the main blocker of effort is not laziness but rather a lack of clarity, but I can’t in this case – I can only attest to my own experiences of being frustrated and not knowing where to go, how to progress, what to do to the point that an infinity of other things just seems preferable – and that what my instructor calls “theorizing” could rightly be called planning, which in any case I don’t think I’ve done enough in life and that I am discovering as I am learning this new skill, one beat match at a time.

I freely acknowledge that I do not know enough about DJing yet; though I am progressing quickly, I do not have the necessary procedural fluency, the musical knowledge, sense, awareness of structure, and so many other things that the DJs I appreciate and respect have gained in the course of learning this skill.

If a person hasn’t learned things well enough yet, doesn’t have the facility of mind, ability to parallel process, anticipate, mentally chunk together the different structural patterns needed for the thing that they want to do, it is unclear that they would be able to “practice” things that they’ve learned.

I will not ignore the advice of the scolding, because it is sound, but I will say this:

I will not eliminate theory in favor of practice.

To the end of reaching my highest manifestation…

Theory, planning, and practice:

I will do it all.