Is It Too Late To Be Successful? | How To Be Successful When You Feel Behind in Life and Everyone Else |Win With The Power Of Practice
Am I too old to become a successful musician?
Am I too old to learn guitar? To master my voice? To go for it?
I don’t think so.
Even if people think it to be true, I’m still going for it.
At 29, I recently picked up guitar…again.
See, I picked up guitar before this. I guess I wasn’t as committed and I put it back down.
I thought it was too late for me.
All of the guitarists I knew were super proficient in their craft. They either started playing at very young age, or was graced with some sort of supernatural ability to learn fast.
It was discouraging. I struggle through guitar practice. My fingers hurt, my strums don't sound as good, they had a better start… Blah blah blah.
At the end of the day, the one thing they have over me may be years of experience, but they also have a commitment to practice.
The thing is, I may suck (read: I do suck) today. But if I commit to the process, instead of focusing on how badly I play now, I have no choice but to improve.
No matter how fast or slow, I must embrace the process.
The process is hard, it’s off key, it’s calluses on fingertips, it’s frustration and not wanting to do it.
It’s easy to look at the finished product, the polished musician or see someone who is further along in their journey and become jealous or envious of where they are.
Meanwhile, we have no idea what it took to get them there. We didn’t see the hours, the tears, blood, sweat, and failures these people had to go through to get to where they are.
Maybe instead of focusing on how my skills are so much worse than someone else’s skills, I should focus on my own journey.
All I can control is my effort, the time I put in and my commitment to my process.
When in a race on foot or swimming, it’s distracting to look over to the left or to the right.
You lose wind and you lose the steam to continue. In the same way, when we’re too distracted by other people’s progress and journey, we lose our steam-- our drive.
We compare ourselves to others, we get distracted and often times quit because… what’s the point?
I don’t believe that I’m too old to learn and become good at guitar, and I’m still going to try.
I won't allow this obsession with age and youth stop me from learning and trying something I actually enjoy.
So, I am recommitted; to practice, to consistency, to having fun.
I’m 29 and just started learning guitar. I am determined to continue to practice.
I am committed to my journey, no matter how long or short.