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Ben Higgins
What things have you done lately that are new to you? Maybe it's a new hobby or something that you've had to learn or do out of necessity. I've been in a few situations lately where I've been a fish out of the water and starting new things at the bottom rung of the ladder. Although this is usually an anxious situation, the rewards for putting oneself through 'the fire' are usually greater than the initial discomfort but finding the will to work through the discomfort is not easy. However, by allowing ourselves time to take a small bite each time we can break down a seemingly massive task into small steps.

Manageable steps. Even a mountain is climbed a step at a time.

It's like guitar playing. There's always new things to learn and there's usually one 'nemesis' that people struggle with for years. But whether it's the old nemesis, a new technique or a solo, they can all be approached by making them seem less overwhelming. We need to take the sting out of the tail and we do that by breaking it down into small goals that are realistic and achievable with a moderate amount of concentrated effort.

Realistic means not expecting to nail hybrid picking in two weeks. Being realistic requires us to understand that all goals take time and are applicable to our current ability and time spent on the activity.

Achievable means that they can be done in a relatively short amount of time; a few days or a week, maybe. Setting small, achievable goals means you see progress which is needed when you're in the early stages of taking on any task. In order to have faith in a process you need some positive results so these small goals can give you that.

Concentrated Effort means that you honestly set aside some time to put in the work. If you know what to aim for and how you should be going for it then do stick with it. Be disciplined. If you find it difficult to set aside time for guitar playing that's cool but adjust your small, achievable goals accordingly so they reflect the amount of time you're able and willing to give to it. If you only put in 10 minutes then just stick with those 10 minutes every day and let the goal be realistic in relation to the time spent. Appreciate that it will take longer but that's ok.. it's about moving forwards, no matter what time it takes.

One thing that I started in the latter part of 2014 is running. I've always hated running. Ever since I stopped playing football around age 11 (and found the GUITAR!) my aerobic fitness has been pretty poor. So, you can imagine my first few sessions were not exactly making me feel any good. But the key to me taking this on was that I knew that and was prepared for that. My expectations of my current abilities were realistic so I set goals that were in relation to my ability and how fast I could reasonably expect to progress in the activity.

I've stuck with it and I have progressed. I'm not ready for a marathon yet but if I wanted to do one then I would be ready. I would carry on as I am, giving concentrated and consistent effort to the process. I will allow progress to occur. It's like I'm always telling you guys; "Give yourself time to get it right".

I will have good days and not so good days. I'll have moments of disillusion and lapses of motivation. But I've already accepted them. Part of being successful in any endeavour is accepting the bad before it happens. If you know it will happen and that you will suck it up then you are less likely to be knocked back for long when it does happen.

So, even though I get people asking me advice on here, YT or FB about guitar.. in many other aspects of life I am where they are now. A beginner or an intermediate, needing guidance. Learning, making mistakes. It's good. How about you? Are there any aspects in life where you're learning and undertaking something completely new to you?
Todd Simpson
I recently taught myself a bit about working on pipes/plumbing and such smile.gif Does that count?
Ben Higgins
QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Apr 14 2015, 04:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I recently taught myself a bit about working on pipes/plumbing and such smile.gif Does that count?


Yes ! Do you feel confident to tackle any sudden leaks in your place now ? biggrin.gif
Fran
Nice post as usual Ben. i'm a bit into kick boxing lately, go figure smile.gif
Ben Higgins
QUOTE (Fran @ Apr 14 2015, 09:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Nice post as usual Ben. i'm a bit into kick boxing lately, go figure smile.gif


Nice, I didn't realise you did it. Freestyle, Muay Thai or something else ?
Sensible Jones
I'm determined to do a full neck Inlay this year at some point. Just need to convince someone to pay for it!! wink.gif
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