“How do you stay motivated?”
When I first picked up a guitar, I was burdened with the task of teaching myself. I remember it being a really frustrating process because it had been so long since I was a beginner at something…especially a beginner at something related to music.
During that time, I was reading a lot about The Beatles. I probably read 20 different books about them. Some of the books where just about Paul, some were just about John (I would have loved to read just about Ringo, or just about George…but I could never find any books like that…) Anyway, I learned something very valuable from the lives of those songwriters that has stuck with me.
Here it is…
Lennon and McCartney, before they were The Beatles, were in a little band called The Quarrymen. When they weren’t playing with their own band, they would travel in a bus for miles to go see other artists perform. They would wait until the show was over and go up to the musician and….get this…ASK THEM HOW TO PLAY THAT CHORD they saw. They worked so hard just to learn a new chord?! Are you kidding me?? I have the whole world at my fingertips. I could learn anything I wanted to…and I don’t even have to leave the comfort of my bed. Why am I not doing more?
That’s what kept me going when I was starting out on the guitar. That’s what still keeps me going now. I want to have the same drive they had. I always want to be hungry to learn something new. There is so much out there! The possibilities are absolutely endless. I want to do more. I want to push myself in every area I can. I could learn anything I want to, which is a luxury I think I take for granted far too often. It is so easy to slip into complacency, and the fight with motivation is sometimes a very daunting fight, but it is one that can be won.
And really, it is a fight that has to be won.
When I first picked up a guitar, I was burdened with the task of teaching myself. I remember it being a really frustrating process because it had been so long since I was a beginner at something…especially a beginner at something related to music.
During that time, I was reading a lot about The Beatles. I probably read 20 different books about them. Some of the books where just about Paul, some were just about John (I would have loved to read just about Ringo, or just about George…but I could never find any books like that…) Anyway, I learned something very valuable from the lives of those songwriters that has stuck with me.
Here it is…
Lennon and McCartney, before they were The Beatles, were in a little band called The Quarrymen. When they weren’t playing with their own band, they would travel in a bus for miles to go see other artists perform. They would wait until the show was over and go up to the musician and….get this…ASK THEM HOW TO PLAY THAT CHORD they saw. They worked so hard just to learn a new chord?! Are you kidding me?? I have the whole world at my fingertips. I could learn anything I wanted to…and I don’t even have to leave the comfort of my bed. Why am I not doing more?
That’s what kept me going when I was starting out on the guitar. That’s what still keeps me going now. I want to have the same drive they had. I always want to be hungry to learn something new. There is so much out there! The possibilities are absolutely endless. I want to do more. I want to push myself in every area I can. I could learn anything I want to, which is a luxury I think I take for granted far too often. It is so easy to slip into complacency, and the fight with motivation is sometimes a very daunting fight, but it is one that can be won.
And really, it is a fight that has to be won.
The first month of the 52 Project went extremely well! It feels so good to be able to say that. This month, I have written three songs (two of which I really love) and I learned a song by Daddy Love called “Just Enough to Go Home.” I am really excited to see where this project leads me this year. I hope February treats me as well as January did!
Here are the names of the songs I wrote this month :
The Engagement Song (On Guitar)
Into My Own Future (On Guitar)
I’m Willing to Bet (On Ukulele)
Here are the names of the songs I wrote this month :
The Engagement Song (On Guitar)
Into My Own Future (On Guitar)
I’m Willing to Bet (On Ukulele)