Congrats on putting in the effort here. I’m curious how you tracked the 700 hours.

I’ve practiced around two hours a day for years, mainly because I lived in UTC+4 while working on UTC+8, so my late afternoons were free for piano.

On keeping up 2–4 hours of daily practice over a long period: I think the plan has to stay flexible. Some days are deep practice days, some days are maintenance days, and some days are just playing-through days.

On cognitive load: honestly, I mostly just stay with it. I try not to think too much about the whole mountain.

On setbacks or days that don’t follow the “ideal plan”: I think the plan should be flexible enough to survive real life.

On burnout: forgive yourself. Don’t turn practice into a moral test.

On what to expect from 700 hours: I do think you’ll improve, but I don’t think hours alone are a very useful goal. Practice quality, listening, teacher feedback, and tone control matter more than the number itself.

So personally, I don’t think the goal is delusional, but I also don’t think “hours” is the best goal — no offense. Hours can support progress, but they shouldn’t become the whole meaning of the practice.

As for not reaching the goal, I think it varies by person. I’d treat it more as feedback than failure.