| Here's a quick question for you. What's the | | | | sad!Luckily, not everyone has this loser |
| one biggest thing stopping you from becoming | | | | preception. I have students who are just as |
| the guitarist that you truly want to be? Is | | | | busy (or busier!) but perceive the whole |
| it lack of time to practice? How about lack | | | | situation differently. They see their nine to |
| of money to get guitar lessons? How about a | | | | five job as a challenge. They meet this |
| spouse who doesn't support your guitar | | | | challenge by getting up early to practice. |
| playing endevours? Or what about having to | | | | They also make sure that they exercise |
| work long hours to support your family?If | | | | regularly so that they also have the energy |
| you're like 97% of guitarists, you said the | | | | to practice after work as well. Bottom line? |
| wrong answer. The right answer is YOU. | | | | They are steadily progressing towards their |
| Everyone is their own biggest obstacle to | | | | musical goals and dreams!Can you see how the |
| their guitar playing progress. Before you get | | | | different preceptions of the same |
| offended and abuse me, let me explain | | | | circumstance caused two different sets of |
| further...I believe strongly that our reality | | | | actions?Let's now look at a simple way that |
| is based not on our circumstances but our | | | | you can perceive your "negative |
| PERCEPTION to our circumstances. This means | | | | circumstances" differently. Please follow the |
| that you could have two guitarists in exactly | | | | following steps...***Step One***Write down a |
| the same situation who react completely | | | | circumstance in your life that you feel is |
| differently to that situation. I'll give you | | | | slowing down your guitar progress.***Step |
| a real life example...I have a roommate who | | | | Two***Write down exactly HOW the circumstance |
| works a nine to five job. Nothing unusual | | | | prevents you from progressing.***Step |
| there...a lot of people do. Unfortunately | | | | Three***Write down at least ten action steps |
| this roommate uses his job as an excuse not | | | | that you could take to overcome the |
| to practice. He says that when he gets home | | | | circumstance. Don't stop until you have at |
| from work he's always too tired to practice. | | | | least ten.***Step Four***Just do it! Take |
| I suggested to him once that he could get up | | | | action and DO the action steps. Do what ever |
| an hour earlier each day to practice. This | | | | it takes. Remember...your musical development |
| comment caused him to look at me like I was | | | | is at stake!One last thought. I believe that |
| insane. Bottom line? My roommate isn't | | | | for EVERY excuse you could ever have, there |
| willing to make a VERY small lifestyle change | | | | are guitarists in the world who have overcome |
| to pursue his musical dreams. Most likely | | | | exactly the same excuse.Craig Bassett is a |
| he'll go to his grave lamenting the fact that | | | | professional guitarist, author and guitar |
| he "never had time to practice". How | | | | tutor. |