A Fable of Improvement

And a bit of storytelling

Master & Apprentice - By Aaron J. Govan (Using Leonardo.ai)

By now, you probably know my fondness for poems.

But poetry is just one form of what truly inspires me: storytelling.
(And in this case, I just can’t help drawing from my background as a trainer and teacher.)

Let me tell you a tale.

Once Upon a Lesson

Back in my early days as a music teacher, I welcomed a new student with years of playing experience. So far, so good — but he quickly brought me face-to-face with a recurring truth in my teaching journey.

He was eager, dedicated, and passionate. But he felt stuck — like he’d hit a plateau.
One day, in a moment straight out of a Robin Williams movie, he looked at me and asked:

“Oh Captain, My Captain... why am I not progressing anymore?”

I paused. Was it lack of effort? Practice? Consistency?
None of these were missing. And yet, something was.

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🧠 The Socratic Spark

There’s a quote often attributed to Einstein:

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

While not technically about madness, it perfectly captured what was holding my student back.
Despite his dedication, he kept using the same flawed approach — over and over.

Instead of giving him a ready-made answer, I decided to apply a principle I admire: Socratic questioning.

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The Alibi Trap

At one point, he said something that caught me off guard:

“Maybe I’m just not meant to be as good as you.”

It sounded like flattery, but it wasn’t.
It was an alibi — a comforting lie dressed as humility. And the worst part?
He believed it.

We often use these internal narratives to protect ourselves from failure… but all they do is feed frustration.

So I didn’t contradict him. Instead, I guided him. I took a short, difficult section of music and asked:

“Where do you think the problem lies?”

After some reflection, he realized he was trying to play it too fast.

I encouraged him to slow it down, match the tempo to his current ability, and work it gradually with intention.

A week later, he came back, smiling wide:

“I can play it now! It’s a miracle!”

“Is it?”

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💬 Let me know about your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to read about you! 🎶💡👇

Peace & Bliss,

Aaron.