When I was an undergraduate organ major (centuries ago) our department hosted “Night Pipes”, a 10 p.m. weekly organ concert. Students signed-up to play a few times each semester for experience and to test pieces for recital-readiness.
My freshman friend, Gilbert and I were decidedly less skilled than the other students. Both of us came to college with sketchy musical backgrounds. Both of us also had determination and tenacity. Every single week Gilbert and I exposed our undeveloped skills by playing at this concert. (To do this EVERY week was unusual, demanding, and frequently humiliating.) We kept up this practice for four years , persevering through wrong notes, immature articulation and visible fear.
The experience and pressure of deadlines built skills fast! Also, the supportive community as we took these toddling steps into public performance assured we would survive the inevitable bumps and bruises.
Thank you, readers and friends, for cheering me on while I practice blogging about beauty and spirituality in front of the whole wide world.
beauty as spiritual practice 
Diane,
Your blog is just lovely – really, really lovely. I love this illustration of tenacity – I’ve had that experience myself of working in a level that was a bit too high so many times. But what is more powerful than working through fear to another level of excellence. It is, to me, the secret of the “Good Life.” (I’ll never forget the fear I had of singing in the Cathedral with our choir!)
you’re my idol. seriously!