Allow Yourself to Suck

When I took my first steps, I wasn’t very good at it.  I took no more than two or three till I plopped down.  And that little upstart next door neighbor, Ronny Jorgenson, didn’t help matters.  On his first attempt, he zipped half way across the floor.  He just seemed to be more natural at it than I.  But, you know what?  I didn’t let it bother me.  I let Ronny lace up his Mizunos, and I slobbered on myself as I toppled across the living room.

I was okay with sucking at walking because I remained oblivious to social pressures attached to it.  I was supposed to fall a lot because I was learning.  And I didn’t compare myself to Ronny Jorgenson because I didn’t know I was supposed to.

Be okay with sucking at guitar.  When you learn a new lick or riff, be okay with fumbling the chord changes and missing notes.  What would have happened if you were as impatient learning to walk as you are progressing with guitar?  You’d probably still be sitting in the middle of the floor relying on others to bring you things and take you places.  But if you make yourself okay with slow progress, you will eventually look up and realize you have traveled much farther than you thought.

Guitar.

I love guitar.  I have played for 35 years, but I am not 35 years good.  And I think there are a lot of people like me.  They love to play, but for whatever reason, have not progressed as far as they would have like to.

I want it to be a site of encouragement, motivation and sharing.

I’m not a professional.  And even though I have played for three and a half decades, I have not consistently progressed.  But I have had a rebirth in my effort to grow.  And I have learned some things about being solidly an intermediate player.  And that is the unique perspective I will bring to the guitar world.  I am going to talk honestly about the struggles I have in progressing, but not as a virtuoso who can’t really understand what it’s like for a person like me who has to practice repeatedly to do even the simplest things.

I hope this will begin to generate some followers and we can have a little fun together.

New posts coming soon.