At the start of this year, I set myself a challenge that felt both exciting and slightly unhinged:
365 days of piano practice. No skips. No excuses.

As a classically trained pianist, practice has always been part of my life, but this challenge isn’t about perfection, repertoire goals, or hitting a certain number of hours. It’s about showing up every day, even when life is busy, motivation is low, or my wrists need a gentler approach.

I’m now two weeks in, and already I’ve learned more than I expected.

Why I Started the 365-Day Practice Challenge

On paper, “practice every day” sounds obvious. But as a freelancer, performer, arranger, and content creator, my relationship with practice has changed a lot over the years.

Some days are filled with gigs, rehearsals, admin, emails, editing, filming, posting, and more editing. Ironically, the busier I am as a musician, the harder it can be to make time for actual practice.

I wanted to:

• Rebuild a non-negotiable daily habit
• Remove the pressure of “productive” practice
• Reconnect with the piano in a more consistent, grounded way
• Prove to myself that even on chaotic or lethargic days, something is better than nothing

This challenge isn’t about grinding. It’s about continuity.

What I’ve Learned After Two Weeks

Two weeks might not sound like much, but the mindset shift has been significant.

First: daily practice is less about motivation and more about identity.
Once it becomes “this is just what I do,” the mental resistance drops dramatically.

Second: practice sessions don’t need to be long to be valuable.
Some days I sit down for an hour. Other days it’s ten minutes of slow but deliberate practice, working on expression, or just some general repertoire review. All of these count.

Third (and this surprised me): the hardest part isn’t the practice.
It’s the everything else.

Filming short videos, editing them, writing captions, posting across multiple platforms, responding to comments – that can (and does) take hours. The practice itself is often the calmest, easiest part of the day. The challenge has made me very aware of how much invisible labour goes into being a modern musician online.

Would I Recommend a 365-Day Challenge?

For practice?
Absolutely.

For life, sanity, and content creation all at once?
Proceed with caution.

I genuinely believe daily practice is one of the most powerful things you can do as a musician. It builds trust with yourself. You stop negotiating. You stop waiting for the “right” moment.

That said, 365 days can feel overwhelming if you start there.

If you’re thinking about trying something similar, I’d actually recommend starting smaller:

• 30 days if you want a reset
• 60 or 100 days if you want to build momentum
• 365 days if you already have a foundation and want to deepen it

The number matters far less than the consistency.

Why You Should Try It (In Your Own Way)

You don’t need to post about it.
You don’t need to track every minute.
You don’t need to make it aesthetic or impressive.

You just need to show up.

Daily practice:

• Lowers the barrier to starting
• Removes the drama from progress
• Builds confidence quietly
• Keeps your relationship with music alive, even during busy seasons

And if you miss a day? That’s not failure. That’s feedback. Adjust and continue.

Final Thoughts

This challenge has already reminded me why I love playing piano in the first place. Not because of algorithms or output or productivity, but because sitting at the instrument, every day, does something subtle and cumulative to your nervous system, your creativity, and your sense of self.

So yes, I’d recommend a 365-day practice challenge.

But more than that, I’d recommend making practice smaller, kinder, and more consistent than you think it needs to be.

As I always say – practice makes progress.

The magic isn’t in doing more. It’s in doing it again tomorrow.

Watch the 365 Day Practice Challenge Playlist here!

---