“When we practice music we just practice it, and whether we find joy in our practice or not, we just do it. Even though we are sleepy, and we are tired of practicing music, of repeating the same thing day after day; even so, we continue our practice. Whether or not someone encourages our practice, we just do it.
Even when you practice music alone, without a teacher, I think you will find some way to tell whether your practice is adequate or not. When you are tired of sitting, or when you are disgusted with your practice, you should recognize this as a warning signal.
You become discouraged with your practice when your practice has been idealistic. You have some gaining idea in your practice, and it is not pure enough. It is when your practice is rather greedy that you become discouraged with it. So you should be grateful that you have a sign or warning signal to show you the weak point in your practice. At that time, forgetting all about your mistake and renewing your way, you can resume your original practice. This is a very important point.” – Shunryu Suzuki