@sisyphus
I’ll dare to propose that habit is all we are.
And that habit is how we create or perhaps recreate ourselves
If a random thought pops up when I play a piece, it will usually return the next time I play that piece.
Usually it’s a thought about someone I’m angry with!
To stop this I need to replay the passage, carefully singing along and focusing on the music, just the music, only as many times as I can retain the focus.
Otherwise the piece becomes filled with my angry memory!
When I set out to play a piece, it’s wise to remember the first time I heard it or read it, loved it, wanted to play it, working to have fresh opened ears.
It can take many efforts to find the little movement or preparatory thought that will fix a habitual mistake, maybe just a wrong note or accent, a mistake that I’ve practiced unconsciously just once, or many times.
This is hard work, and a lot like my daily life!

Our past can be terribly powerful in ugly ways, it can rob our present moment of any life and joy.
Or perhaps, with great effort, we can reshape our moments just a tiny bit, and perhaps, done often enough, we can build some habits that make life a little bit better.

Few people who do not practice music can realize how much work it takes to play one simple piece beautifully, with sustained mindfulness.
However, with practice and endless refocusing, the hard work is also joyful, even when frustrating.
It takes a long time to develop the habit.

And I think the same is true of all living.
Keep trying, Everyone!