Willingness to learn

One of the hardest things to do as a human being is to break routine: driving to class/work the same way, the way you shower, and in my case how I play. How do you break away from bad habits and expand on your good qualities. Criticism is very hard to understand and is often times met with hostility. However it takes humility to realize there might be truth to the critique. I am often the first to draw conclusions about people's playing and how they must fix it. 

I was recently put in a situation that test my willingness to accept and consider a critique of my playing. Although I was automatically defensive I realized that being defensive would not get me anywhere. Change is in the air. Not only was I critiqued, but I was fortunate enough to be given great advice on how to fix my situation. I have two choices: be stubborn and not learn anything or try something new and potentially become that much better of a player. By taking advice I am put in a position of power, I can now do things two ways...my way and the new way. I am then given the chance to choose which is the best way. I can choose my own destiny. 

I have encountered too many stubborn people who have refused to take advice over the last several years to want to become like that. 

"You know more than you think you know, just as you know less than you want to know." Oscar Wilde