“It takes too long to learn, so I won’t bother trying.”  That’s something I subconsciously say to myself all the time.  Have you ever dreamed of doing something (maybe being able to play an instrument, or fix a car, or design a website, or break dance) and then give up before you even start?  I’ve done that many times.  Some things just seem to be too big to accomplish.  I might try for a little while, but when success comes more slowly than desired, I just give up.  For example, I wanted to learn Spanish last year.  I worked my way through the first level of Rosetta Stone, but then realized I could still barely speak Spanish.  It was a lot of work just to get through that first level, so I was too frustrated to keep going.  I think part of the problem was that my motivation (a desire to go back to Costa Rica, where I had been for three weeks) seemed too distant.  And the main problem was that I wasn’t patient enough.  I often think in present tense.  I don’t do a lot of planning (future) and I tend to save reminiscing (past) for rainy days.  However, I need to start thinking more long term.  It’s good to live in the here-and-now, but I need to think about what I’m doing with this time.

Because I’ve devoted a lot of time, money, and energy to my music, I’ve realized that I need to make sure I am good at what I do.  That means I need to practice.  I’ve never been the type of person that hates practicing, but I’ve also never been on the other end of the spectrum with those freaks who play until their fingers bleed.  I’m somewhere in the middle.  I enjoy casually picking up my guitar and belting out a song or two.  But that’s not good enough for a professional musician.  I need to get closer to the practice freaks.  I’ve decided recently to work on some finger-style guitar.  I started with the song “Rylynn” by Andy McKee.  It is incredibly challenging.  I’ve been working on it for about a week and a half and I still don’t have it all down.  To add to the frustration, there’s a Korean kid (literally a young child) on YouTube who can play the song flawlessly.  Here I am stumbling over every second note while this kid, half my age, is kicking my ass.  It’s embarrassing.  It almost makes me want to give up.  I feel like it will take me forever to be as good as this child, so why even bother trying.  But it has occurred to me that if I don’t give up, I will eventually get there.  It’s like a marathon.  The finish line is nowhere in sight and I am super tired and wanting to stop, but the laws of physics say that if I keep moving I will get there.  What is it you want to do?  Are you trying?  Throw away all your excused and just do it.  Stop watching tv, get off the couch, turn off the computer, and start doing whatever it is you dream of doing.