5 Tips for Motivation to Pick up Your Guitar

Tip 1) Listen to the music that "you" consider to be the best motivation, and learn at least some of it. Remember those who produced that music had somebody they looked up to, at some point. They started by copying. Everyone does. Even the masters have influences or idols. This gives you a starting point. A goal to shoot for. Who knows, you could choose to take it to another level. A level that is personally your own.

Tip 2) Try keeping your guitar in sight. You may think about it when it's in the closet. You may never think about it, because you don't see it. (equals; no motivation) If it is in sight you may find it more "attractive". For those that need to keep your guitar away from little ones, invest in a guitar hanger. You can hang the guitar high on a wall like they do at the music stores. Hangers run about 20 dollars. Which brings me to the next point.

Tip 3) Make your guitar attractive. Quit complaining about the old strings, the playability and the dust. Clean it up. Change the strings. Get the action and intonation set right. Learn how to do it yourself or take it into a pro. The results are always worth it. Clean cars look better and go faster, the same is true for guitars.

Tip 4) Use that anger! Know that pain, hunger, and frustration are great motivators. At least, in the beginning. Joy, passion and other motivators usually follow. How many songs can you name that are sad or mad? Now, how many can you name that are happy, positive ones? Interesting isn't it? If you want something to change you have to do something about it. If not, you can write about how lazy you are. How you are always complaining and not willing to do a thing about it. Even then you have done something, you wrote it down.

Tip 5) When ever you learn something new, know that it is okay to be slow at first. If you do not let this frustrate you, by the next day you will be a little better, the next a little more, and the next maybe perfect. You've learned it. That is how it goes. Hardly anyone learns something new and in 2 minutes and can play it at 200 miles per hour. You got to work up to speed on everything, even the seemingly easiest chord changes. It is okay to start slow! We all do. The more this becomes the way you learn, the faster you learn, and the faster you can adapt, later on. So go get a magazine, or a chord book, or a lesson and learn something new.

Motivation is personal. We all have different reasons in the beginning. Those reasons can change as you change. You are only human. It is okay to make mistakes. Why do you think many artists spend so long in the recording studio, looking for that perfect take?

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