(Tim) I just started reading and am tipping my toes into the Hiroko route, but it immediately made me think about a famous story among classical musicians.

Legend has it, after Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphony No.1 flopped, the up-and-coming young composer lost his confidence and could no longer compose. It was only after visiting the hypnotherapist Nikolai Dahl that he could recover his artistic spark. Rachmaninoff's eternal Piano Concerto No.2 was the result of his rehabilitation.

"You will become a great composer. You will write a masterpiece."

This formulation of the hypnotic suggestion is almost certainly apocryphal, but I remember being quite moved when I came across it. How wonderful it would be, so become so assured of oneself.

Anyway, I'll continue reading! I really like it so far.