Improvement – Nathan Montgomery

n8monti March 19, 2019November 29, 2019Analysis, Brain Science, Brain Waves, Bulletproof, Creating, Creativity, Education, Exercise, Flow, Improvement, Improvisation, Musician, Musicians, Practice, Students

Why All Creators Should Practice Improvisation

Improvisation can be an intimidating word. How can you create something from nothing? Like anything, all it takes is some practice. I recently read an article on The Bulletproof Musician blog entitled Why Improvisation Should Be Part of Every Young Musician’s Training. I couldn’t agree more. The article details a scientific study where they analyzed the differences in brain activity when musicians play memorized passages compared to when they improvise. The results found that “a region of the top front … Continue reading “Why All Creators Should Practice Improvisation”

n8monti March 3, 2019November 29, 2019Cambridge, Choy la Fut, Chronic, Daily, Growth, Improvement, Kung Fu, Pain, Personal, Tai Chi, Training, Wu Dao

Kung Fu is Every Day

Saturday mornings are my time. I get out of bed at 8:00 am and douse my body with water. First hot, then cold. I brush my teeth, change into my training uniform, eat some dried fruit and nuts and I am out the door. From there I am off to Cambridge for three hours of kung fu and tai chi. Because of a severe performance-related repetitive stress injury I sustained in 2015, I have been dealing with chronic pain, stiffness, … Continue reading “Kung Fu is Every Day”

n8monti January 14, 2019November 29, 2019habits, Improvement, New, Reflection, Self, work, Year

How I Work

Today I am answering a series of questions about my work and work lifestyle. Hopefully you read something that interests or relates to you in my answers. Let me know in the comments! Location: I work at home. I work from coffee shops and libraries and from friends couches and random basements and practice rooms. Current gig: Currently I am working as a guitar teacher, an audio engineer, and am an online task manager. Current mobile device and computer: I … Continue reading “How I Work”

n8monti January 8, 2019November 29, 2019Balance, Creation, Creativity, Discipline, Focus, Health, Improvement, New, Self, Year

Five Traits I can Improve Upon in the Coming Year

One more New Years reflection post. How can I better myself? Today I read an article by Dr. Anne Helen Peterson about how burnout is a symptom of millennial culture (on Buzzfeed of all places: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/millennials-burnout-generation-debt-work?fbclid=IwAR3Bt4oXipTeExAlRj_Tlx7CmLeOcYv6XewyR3Puy26GRnUK91DnGM97oj0). It struck close to home and caused me to reflect on the burnout that I have experienced because of both my own schedule and mentality, as well as the times we are living in. I am thinking about this article as I am reflecting … Continue reading “Five Traits I can Improve Upon in the Coming Year”