Ego vs Mastery in Music Practice: What Truly Drives Growth?
Musicians often ask me about motivation – how do you keep your inner drive alive, especially when setbacks and challenges inevitably appear? I love these conversations because they frequently uncover what truly inspires each person to make music, which then provides additional fuel to strengthen their inner fire.
One of the first questions I answer my clients back with is simple but powerful:
“What drives you to make great music?”
To spark reflection, I often share a favourite clip from Frank Dick OBE, former Director of Coaching at the British Athletic Federation. His insights highlight a truth that applies as much to musicians as to athletes – the source of your motivation matters!
For developing musicians, motivation is just as vital as technique. It influences not only how you practise but also how you feel about music, how you respond to setbacks, and whether you remain committed for the long haul. Some musicians thrive on curiosity and growth, while others focus on proving their worth by outperforming their peers or seeking praise from their audience.
These two approaches – mastery orientation and ego orientation – are central ideas in educational psychology. Understanding the difference between them can profoundly shape your journey, helping you make better choices in the practice room, in rehearsal, and on stage.
Defining the Two Orientations
Mastery orientation (also called task orientation or a growth mindset) is driven by the desire to improve skills and deepen musical understanding. Success is measured internally, by recognising progress and personal development, or by serving the music and the intentions of the composer, rather than by comparison to others (Dweck, 2006). For example, a violinist might aim to shape a phrase with more expression and character than they did last week, regardless of how their peers perform or what the audience might think. Or they might listen to recordings and meticulously study the score to understand more about the piece and connect with the sound world that the composer is trying to create.
In contrast, ego orientation (also called performance orientation or a fixed mindset) emphasises demonstrating ability relative to others and obtaining favourable judgments from peers, colleagues, teachers, or the audience. Success depends upon outperforming others (Lacaille et al., 2008), especially in evaluative situations such as competitions, juries, and auditions. Among music populations, performance or ego-focused goals are consistently associated with comparing oneself to peers, heightened concern about evaluation, and less adaptive outcomes compared to mastery goals. A pianist with an ego orientation might see success as winning a competition, ranking higher than classmates, or receiving praise from teachers and judges, even if their own playing has not significantly improved. Or musicians auditioning for professional orchestral roles might define a successful audition as one in which they progressed to the next round, regardless of how they performed on the day.
But these orientations aren’t just theoretical - they influence the emotional, technical, and motivational patterns that musicians carry throughout their careers.
Why Orientation Matters
Motivational focus shapes both the content of practice and the emotional experience of music-making.
Mastery-oriented musicians typically remain curious and engaged – willing to take risks, explore interpretations, and view mistakes as essential to learning. Lacaille (2008) found that mastery goals supported better emotional functioning in musicians, while performance goals often had harmful effects. Similarly, Smith (2005) found that music majors with mastery goals and a growth mindset achieved better results in both skill development and overall enjoyment of music.
New research confirms this pattern in music practice – when musicians experience flow during rehearsal sessions (ie. getting “in the zone”), it not only boosts immersion but also builds self-efficacy (situational self-confidence), reinforcing a mastery mindset (Su et al., 2024). In contrast, ego-oriented musicians may intensify effort at first, but often plateau when faced with setbacks that threaten their self-image or when others outperform them.
How Orientation Shapes Real-Life Music Making
The difference becomes clearer when you picture two music students preparing for a performance side-by-side.
Student #1, who is mastery-oriented, sees challenging passages as an opportunity to improve their practice and performance skills. Even when they make mistakes, they value the process of learning and apply what they discover about their playing to future pieces. Over time, their technique and musical expression become stronger and more deeply personal, and they use their experience to perform better and build on their expertise in each concert they play.
Student #2, who is ego-oriented, measures success by whether they can outplay their peers and achieve the highest marks in their performance assessments. When they stumble in practice and rehearsals, they feel discouraged, start avoiding or “playing it safe” in difficult sections, and may even reduce their practice time altogether. Ultimately, their focus on comparison limits their growth and enjoyment of making music with others and stifles creativity and self-expression.
“Comparison is the thief of joy” - Theodore Roosevelt
The Emotional Ripple Effect
Orientation doesn’t just influence how we are motivated, but it also affects how musicians respond emotionally to setbacks. Mastery orientation makes it easier to tolerate mistakes and see them as a normal part of improvement. In comparison, an ego orientation can make errors feel like personal failures, leading to anxiety, avoidance, and even burnout.
A study with Year 7 music students found that students who focused on growth tended to view their abilities more positively (O’Neill & McPherson, 2002). This suggests that orientation affects not just performance quality but also a musician’s self-image.
Miksza (2009) studied college-level music students and found that those who adopted mastery goals (focusing on learning and improvement) reported higher self-efficacy, more consistent practice habits, and lower levels of performance anxiety compared to those with ego-oriented goals.
Can a Mix Work?
In some performance fields, a blend of mastery and moderate performance goals can be useful. Athletes, for example, often benefit from combining personal growth targets with healthy competition.
In music, where long-term engagement and intrinsic motivation are key, research consistently shows that mastery orientation produces more sustainable long-term results (Lacaille, 2008).
That being said, recent research suggests there can be benefits to a balanced approach:
Miksza, Tan, & Dye (2016) studied instrumental students in the U.S. and Singapore. They found that while mastery-approach goals were most strongly linked with positive outcomes like flow, perseverance, and ensemble commitment, a moderate presence of performance-approach (ego orientation) goals could also enhance engagement when paired with mastery goals.
Aydıner-Uygun (2020) further showed that mastery goals were associated with deeper learning strategies and intrinsic motivation, while performance-approach goals contributed to short-term focus and effort, especially in evaluative settings such as competitions or juries.
Taken together, these studies indicate that while mastery should be the foundation, musicians may still benefit from a healthy balance of performance-oriented goals - as long as they don’t overshadow the drive for growth. Competition and evaluation can sharpen focus, but a mastery mindset ensures that passion, persistence, and long-term development remain at the centre.
15 Practical Strategies to Shift the balance from Ego to Mastery Orientation
Although it can be relatively easy to spot the differences between an ego and mastery orientation, it’s essential to turn this understanding into a conscious and noticeable change in your approach. You can begin by trying out the following evidence-based strategies to help strengthen a mastery mindset in your daily practice, rehearsals, and performances.
1. Daily Process Goals 🎯
Set one clear, self-referenced goal before practising (e.g., “Play bars 12–20 at 60 BPM with clean shifts”).
This builds focus and keeps goals about improvement, not comparison.
2. The “One Thing Better” Rule ☝️
With each run-through, focus on improving just one element (tone, rhythm, articulation etc.)
Makes progress measurable and lowers perfectionistic pressure.
3. Mistake Log ❌📝
Keep a journal of mistakes spotted and strategies tried.
Frames errors as learning data, not failure.
4. View Mistakes as Information 🤔
After an error, ask: “What is this mistake teaching me?” and write it down.
Strengthens growth mindset thinking.
“Mistakes are neither good nor bad, they are just information.” – Mimi Zweig
5. Self-Recording with Reflection 🎙
Record short passages, then note one improvement you’ve made and one next step.
Encourages objective self-assessment without relying on others’ approval.
6. Personal Benchmark Recordings 💿
Every 1–2 months, record the same piece and compare it to your past versions.
Tracks long-term growth without external comparison.
7. Progress Journaling 📕
At the end of each week, reflect on progress made and strategies that worked.
Reinforces the link between effort and improvement.
8. Resilience Log 💪
Write down challenges (e.g., nerves, tricky passage) and how you worked through them. Review weekly.
Builds confidence in persistence and problem-solving.
9. Mastery Mantra 💬
Create a short phrase to repeat before practice or performance (e.g., “Play with curiosity”).
Anchors mindset on growth, not proving your worth through performance outcomes.
10. Mindful Pauses ☺️
Take 30 seconds before practice to breathe and set an intention (e.g., “Today I’ll improve clarity”).
Encourages calm, focused practice starts.
11. Celebrate Small Wins 👏
Acknowledge mini-goals reached in each session, no matter how small.
Builds satisfaction and motivation for consistent growth.
12. Varied Practice 🍎🍊🍌
Experiment with one phrase and play it in different ways using variations (dynamics, phrasing, articulation etc.)
Keeps practice creative and mastery-focused.
13. Silent Audiation Practice 👂
Read through music silently, hearing it vividly in your mind before playing.
Strengthens inner hearing and shifts focus towards developing a clear musical intent.
14. Peer Sharing Without Comparison 🤝
Play for a peer and exchange feedback on process (ie. what strategies you tried, what worked, what didn’t work etc.), not who played better.
Builds a collaborative mastery culture.
15. Normalise Sharing Work-in-Progress 👍
Play an unfinished piece for a teacher or peer.
Reinforces learning as a journey, not a performance to impress.
Embedding these habits into your routine will not only help you practise more effectively but also rewire your mindset to value progress over praise and comparison. This will create a solid foundation for a healthier, more sustainable musical journey.
Selected references
Aydıner-Uygun, M. (2020). Music students’ achievement goal orientations, learning strategies, and motivation. International Journal of Music Education, 38(2), 177–188. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761419890949
Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: Students’ learning strategies and motivation processes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80(3), 260–267.
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Penguin.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Lacaille, N. (2008). Dissertation on achievement goal theory in musicians, dancers, and athletes.
Lacaille, N., Koestner, R., & Gaudreau, P. (2008). On the value of intrinsic rather than traditional achievement goals: The importance of a mastery approach in musical performance. Motivation and Emotion, 31(4), 279–287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-007-9077-6
Miksza, P. (2009). Relationships among impulsiveness, locus of control, sex, and practice behavior in collegiate brass and woodwind players. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57(4), 334–350. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429409350085
Miksza, P., Tan, L., & Dye, C. (2016). Achievement motivation for band: A cross-cultural examination of the 2 × 2 achievement goal motivation framework. Psychology of Music, 44(1), 137–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735616628659
Nicholls, J. G. (1984). Achievement motivation: Conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance. Psychological Review, 91(3), 328–346.
O’Neill, S. A., & McPherson, G. E. (2002). Motivation. In R. Parncutt & G. E. McPherson (Eds.), The science and psychology of music performance (pp. 31–46). Oxford University Press.
Smith, B. P. (2005). Goal orientation, implicit theory of ability, and collegiate instrumental music practice. Psychology of Music, 33(1), 36-57.
Su, P., Kong, J., Zhou, L., & Li, E. (2024). The interplay of flow, self-efficacy, learning motivation, and learning outcomes in music education: A comprehensive analysis of multidimensional interactions. Acta Psychologica, 250, 104515.