Guitar Real Talk #1 | Talent Vs. Hard Work
Albert Einstein supposedly once said that “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
During my music college years, I was always amazed by other guitar players who just “got it” faster than me. What did they do differently from me? Did they have a different practice routine or practice harder than me? Did they have “more talent” than me? Does talent actually exist?
Back then I didn't know any better and I was convinced that if something doesn’t work, I would just have to try harder and practice even longer hours. I was satisfied within myself that all of the hard practice would be worth it, as long as I progress at least 0,0001% every now and then. Now that approach might be a humbling experience and noble, but it's definitely not effective. Hitting your head against the wall repeatedly will teach you patience, but at some point, you will need to see more results. Making real progress regularly is what will keep you going.
What I didn't know back then is that the so-called “talented people” have a natural tendency to go straight to the thing they are aiming for musically. They usually know what they want early on in the process and don't overthink everything. They also have a healthy balance of taking a new small piece of information and putting it into action immediately in a playful way. This might be happening consciously or unconsciously, but the talented player is maneuvering way more effectively on his journey than a regular player. Never letting an unproductive practice session pass by, and never wasting too much time on unnecessary things, the talented guitarist simply practices smarter and more effectively. They regularly experience small victories which will keep them going in the right direction. A direction they have clearly envisioned in advance.
You have to realize that the Jazz and improvisational world can be a big confusing jungle.
Learning the right amount of topics at the right time and appropriate to your level…Connecting the pieces that you have learned constructively…Always taking value out of a lesson and playfully using it….Not wasting time and energy on things that don't work…
There are a million more of these hidden things when it comes to getting ahead. These things will serve as a grid and timeline for your personal progress. Implementing these will also demystify the vague term “talent”. You can be “talented” right now and be one of “them” if you start being smarter about your practice. It's just a matter of the right tactics, preparation, and mindset.
Not practice makes perfect, but perfect practice makes perfect.
If I look back at my old practicing habits, I’m shocked at how much time, effort, and energy I had wasted. I am now able to achieve way more with less time, simply because I copied some of the practicing habits and mindsets of talented guitarists.
I can now make a 1-hour practice session more effective than an 8-hour session years ago. It took me years to realize this and I have seen many students going through the same struggle. We as guitarists tend to go down a rabbit hole and lose sight of the overall picture fast.
Don't get me wrong - some people have it easier and might have “more talent” than you. But that doesn't mean you can't get to that level too. Talent is overrated, especially in this day and age. The talent excuse is outdated and there is no reason for you anymore to not get to where you wanna go.
You don't necessarily have to practice harder but practice smarter. If you are the person who is thinking about quitting because you feel intimidated by someone simply being “more talented”, then you have to re-evaluate a few things within you.
Start analyzing your practicing habits. Take a very good look at yourself. Try to see yourself from the outside and try to see the bigger picture. Always ask yourself how to recalibrate your practice. Make it a habit to monitor yourself all the time. Never dwell for too long on one area or one topic if it doesn't work. Readjust and move on.
The following thoughts are just a few ideas you should ask yourself regularly. Feel free to come up with your own.
Practice Guidelines You Should Ask Yourself Regularly:
•Did what I practiced today connect and build on the things I mastered previously?
•Do I see the connection between what I am practicing today to what I want to practice in the future?
•If I continue getting better at this, how soon am I able to move on to the next difficult topic in the near future?
•Do I want to go more in this direction or that direction after completing this recent study?
•Am I spending too much time on one topic when other topics have a higher priority at this point?
•What was the biggest takeaway for me last week?
•Did I think about my vision and “My Why” when picking up the guitar these days?
•Maybe I can bypass the thing I’m struggling with right now, by practicing something else first?
•Am I excited about the progress I will have soon?
•Did I set up real uninterrupted time for practicing?
•Was I able to use what I practiced today in a musical context and put it into action already?
•I understood the theory, but do I really “hear” what I'm playing? Do I understand it musically?
•Do I feel challenged enough? Maybe I can do even more and set the bar higher.
•Is this too difficult? Did I set up unrealistic expectations and need to calm it down a bit?
•Am I observing my progress enough and readjusting my approach accordingly if something doesn't work?
•How could I have played the thing that I practiced today just a little bit better?
•Would it help if I just slow down what I'm practicing right now? Could it be that simple?
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