From an early age, I found joy in making music and desired to spend my life doing it. That desire came entirely from inside of me. Similarly, one thing I love about teaching piano adults is that they too, in my experience, only take lessons for personal reasons. As I write in Chapter 1 of my book, “Play Piano: A Learner’s Guide to Playing, Reading, and Creating Music,”

It means something when an adult signs up for piano lessons. After all, generally speaking no one is waking up the average adult each morning saying, “Time to practice your piano! I know how much it means to you!” Regardless of what brings them in the door, no adult ever takes piano lessons for any reason other than that they want to.

What’s more, adults always know why they want to play piano. Whether they have always wanted to play or simply need a break from the rest of their lives, piano matters to them. This is essential. Without the inner fuel of desire, why do it?

I had a student who regularly got together with other family members to play piano. Piano learning was a living thing in her world, and she had strong desire to improve. Another student was in the military on active duty. Our lessons helped him scratch the itch for a creative outlet. Still another student sang Indian music. She had always dreamed of playing piano and added it to her repertoire of musical skills.

Each of these students had unique circumstances that brought them to piano. As a teacher, I see my job as helping students maintain their joy in the learning process. I frequently check in with them about how is going. What do they like about what they are learning? Where are they stuck? What progress matters to them most? How can I help them get there?

I extended this idea of checking in to my book by adding end-of-chapter questions. For instance, at the end of Chapter 1, I ask:

1. What do you like best about the idea of playing piano?
2. What inspires you most to want to make music?

Questions like these help learners personalize the content of each chapter. This is important. After all, the journey of learning piano–as with the journey of life– is always personal to each individual.

Regardless of the individual details, that journey starts with desire and is sustained along the way by joy.