When the Hard Work Doesn't Pay Off

Miss C, Why did we work so hard? I’ll probably never forget this interaction with a student. It was November 2004, Oklahoma Bandmaster’s Contest at the University of Central Oklahoma. The finals announcement had just transpired and we found out that we had not made Finals. We had gathered at the camp site when a student approached me and asked, “Miss C, Why did we work so hard?” After I recovered from the pain of an arrow piercing my heart, I’m pretty sure I said something profound to this young man, but I really don’t remember what it was. An answer full of all the positive things you say, a thank you for the hard work, a statement about how not everyone can win - I don’t remember.

We had had a terribly rough season of transition. My guard director left to another state, my drill writer talked me in to doing some crazy music written by a Japanese film composer, the show had no visual concept and was just floundering.

I finally called a friend and talked her into coming on staff to take care of guard and help us create a visual package for the following season. She was great! We did the best we could, but we just didn’t cut it that year, after all the time and hard work. However, the response from my students was different than the year before - and I will never forget that experience. A career “light bulb” moment for me. 

This experience is a universal truth for band directors and staff. We pour ourselves into a product, seeking validation for countless months of work. But we must remember: there can only be one Grand National Champion. Winning it all is a statistical rarity and an outlier. Dealing with the message of "we missed finals" or "we didn't win" is something every director handles, and the pressure for external validation can affect everyone involved.

So, that painful question from my student, "Miss C, Why did we work so hard?", was the beginning of a profound shift. The real answer wasn't about the trophy; it was about totally changing how I defined and painted success in the minds of my students. I started focusing on praising the effort, the resilience, and the growth - not the score. I realized I could never again put the joy, the connection, and the sheer grit of my team behind the passing thoughts of a single judge. The 'why' is the process itself. It's about teaching our students and parents how to graciously continue the journey, regardless of the results, and find the win in the work.