Originally Posted by: JeffS65

Originally Posted by: Nikriwi123

What i've been thinking about a little bit the last week was: What do I want to get out of learning how to play the guitar?

I heard myself saying: Well, I want to play at night, to chill out and play some blues. Enjoying myself, but also learning. Just, playing guitar.

Hmmmmmmmm that's what I am doing now!

So, yes, I am now learning the most basics of guitar, but I do imagine that I might be learning how to play Jimmy Hendrix 10 years from now where that note progression (or whatever) just isn't working.

So, long story short, tldr; ... Focus on the proces and not so much on where you want to end up.

If I may, and amend this a little bit. I don't think it's any different than what you're thinking though. That is to say that we all pine to be able to play something better than our current skills allow is to play. It is the aspirational part of the instrument. But to your point; don't focus os much on the lofty aspiration (ie - Hendrix) to the detriment of where you're at now.

With that said, if you learn to enjoy the journey of learning guitar and see all the little victories for what they are, victories, you'll enjoy everything you learn along he way.

Though I've been playing for a long and that time helps me with the physical part of learning and therefor less frustration, I learned about player frustration early on. Actually, I was lucky that I didn't have too terribly much frustration but even then and I quickly saw that even learning a little riff or lick was really cool way back when.

I've mentioned many times here that my first two songs were (in order..I think): Rush-Fly by Night and then Led Zep-Black Dog. I had no business learning those songs that early. What did I know? Ignorance is bliss in 1982. Black Dog is to this day still not the easiest riff. I can play it nicely but I will never play it 'naturally'. I still like playing it because it reminds me to be a bit humble in my skill. That there's that one lick that will always get the best of me if I don't pay attention.

I could be frustrated that it will never be natural but I look at as that friend who will give their unvarnished opinion whether or not I want it.

Once you realize that always aspiring to a better skill is part of the guitarists journey, the more you enjoy the fact that there is always something new and awesome to learn.

Though, I do get that at the beginning stages, that easy to say but.....Still, it's all part of the mindset. Most legendary guitar players failed more than anyone around them.

You said what I meant better than I :)

Do you know Simon Sinek? He had an interesting post on Linkedin the other day. He talked about how when kids go to the tennistable, it always end up with war, cheating, and somebody crying at the end.

When kids play lego, however, this can continue for hours. Some kid may stop, and another may join.

In a way, perhaps learning the guitar is like letting the kid in us back into our lives.