One of the key ingredients in becoming a successful guitarist, which took me years to figure out, is your mindset.
This is the critical element weather you will succeed or fail on the guitar.
Sure you might practice, learn the techniques and even learn a few songs.
But if you don’t have the correct mindset, the chances are weeks or even months down the line you may quit learning the guitar. So your mindset with the guitar is extremely important.
What is a mindset?
Mindsets are general beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities. Beliefs about all the skills you have developed over time and that includes beliefs about learning the guitar.
Think about your intelligence, your talents and your personality. Are these qualities simply just set in stone and that’s that? Or are they things you can develop over time?
People with a fixed mindset or a set in stone type mindset, they believe that their personality traits are just givens, they were born with them and that’s that. They have a certain amount of brains and talent and nothing can change that. If they have a lot, they’re all set, but if they don’t…What happens???
People in this mindset worry about their personality traits and how adequate they are. They are always comparing themselves. They always feel they have something to prove to themselves and others.
People with a developing mindset, on the other hand, see their qualities as things that can be developed through their dedication and effort.
Sure they’re happy if they’re brainy or talented, but that’s just the starting point.
They understand that no one has ever accomplished great things—not Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer or Slash—without years of passionate practice and learning.
What’s This All Got to Do With Learning the Guitar???
If you can go from a fixed mindset to a developing mindset…you’ll feel that you can actually grow and develop as a person, and you can learn new skills.
When you start taking No for an answer. Not quitting…When you have this new mindset,great things start to happen to you when learning the guitar.
You will start to realise that learning the guitar is a process that takes weeks, months and even years to develop (depending on your weekly, monthly and yearly guitar goals).
If you can start to enjoy the process of learning the guitar, you will find yourself becoming more and more motivated about learning the guitar. Turning that learning into a passion and a burning desire for the guitar. Which is in essence, what we are are all looking to achieve when learning the guitar.
Commit Yourself To A 30 Day Challenge
Now your aware of this new guitar mindset, and how you can succeed. Decide now to take daily action and intentionally make an effort to practice the guitar each day.
If this is something you want to learn, then it’s important to practice every single day…not just 2-3 times a week for 5 minutes. The most successful guitarists I have found have turned there practice schedule into a daily habit.
Research has shown that it takes 21-30 days to break a habit or integrate a new habit.
So challenge yourself to practice the guitar for 30-days for at least 30 minutes. Am I saying this will be easy?
Definitely not! Your mind and body will try and give you reasons/excuses for the first few weeks why you shouldn’t practice, why it’s wrong to practice tonight…there’s a good film on that starts at 9pm. Whats wrong with missing a day or a night? Don’t do it!
Make a commitment for 30 days, and you will see magical things happen. You will be more motivated about learning the guitar then you ever thought was possible!
Can you commit?