“Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets; art deserves that, for it and knowledge can raise man to the Divine.” – Ludwig van Beethoven
A month ago, I decided it was time to start learning how to play the guitar or stop thinking about starting someday. Someday is now. Practicing daily for 20-40 minutes along with streaming guitar lessons is pushing and pulling me into new unfamiliar territory. It’s not comfortable, but wonderfully satisfying in new and unfamiliar ways.
Steadily building dexterity in my fingers, learning chords, techniques, history of the artform and how to read music. It’s a process and progress comes in small steps. After weeks of practice, my left index finger is finally numbed with a callous from the steel strings. My third finger is learning to land closer to the fret, becoming independent from my hand to operate independently and sometimes in the direction I send it. The C chord continues to be my challenge so I focus each practice session on mastering the movement.
The dogs are now able to sit in a room with me when I’m practicing without howling, gazing at me in dismay or dashing off to another room. It’s coming around and some days are better than others. Slow, hard and rewarding - the ticket to satisfaction.
Do hard things that take time, repetition and effort. Practice makes better not perfect. We need to do more activities that are measured in slow progress rather than the temporary satisfaction from quick and easy results. It’s easy to contemplate starting and hard to keep starting every day imperfectly.
“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” – Aldous Huxley
Practice, repetition of hard things with consistency over time creates rigor, progress and confidence. So much of our days consist of rushed efficient-focused work. Faster, efficient, more with less. Checklist living. Lasting transformation and growth come from doing hard things over time with effort.
It’s time to revisit or release those “things” that you always wanted to do. Start or let it go so you can focus your energy into your purpose and joy. Start and stick with it and see where the road leads.
“The harder you work, the luckier you get.” – Gary Player