Lacking motivation

[Iwasonlyhuman]

I have seen many depressing threads recently, and it seems I am in a similar rut. Personal problems have been quite huge recently, but even with those aside, I lack the motivation I had for the last few years. I am definitely a noob player, barely getting anything to sound decent, but at least I was playing at one point. Now, I own two amazing guitars (though I am selling the OM21) and definitely don't have the skill to justify them. I have spent lots of money on guitars, books, programs, and yet have limited motivation still. I admit that it doesn't help I am only using a Baby Taylor right now until I get into a little bit of a better apartment (neighborhood), but I seem to have lost my passion somewhere too.

 

Okay, so enough of this crybaby story, what would you do to motivate yourself?

[gitnoob]

Are you taking lessons? A good teacher provides structure and external motivation.

 

Of course, nothing replaces internal motivation, but being accountable to somebody besides yourself is a useful "crutch."

[Gary Palmer]

Wake up each morning, enjoy the fact you're still alive and set yourself daily, weekly or monthly goals.

Work on perfecting the tunes you already know and listen to music as often as possible for potential inspiration/new material to learn.

[Iwasonlyhuman]

Sadly no teacher. I have always had to teach myself. And I moved away from my little jam circle that I was playing with. I do like your advice Gary. I am always listening, to everything and anything nowadays.

[JasmineTea]

Take it too seriously and you end up being hypercritical of your self...you're only human.

See the fun it it.

Whatever is enjoyable about having a guitar in your hands, see that.

For me, the "fun" is in searching for notes. Trying a new note or chord. Experimenting.

Sometimes I find the note I was looking for, other times find a surprise, other times learn a new note.

The fun never ends.

Another way to look at it is: It's not about guitar, it's about music. And music is whatever you want it to be, regardless of the sheetmusic and the tab and the books.

There does'nt have to be structure. 35+ years of playing and I still hav'nt bothered to learn to read music, and I can play darn near anything I want within physical limitations. But even that is a motivation to get creative..

IMO, it's more fun to lift a song by ear, than to read it from a book. even more fun to make up your own songs...no one can tell you you're wrong.

See the fun in it.

[Stackabones]

A teacher can help, but you still have to find the motivation within yourself. Sounds like your jam circle was a good thing. Have you had any luck with finding another? How about just starting your own? I've seen so many players flourish in those situations.

[Hudman]

Take it too seriously and you end up being hypercritical of your self...you're only human. See the fun it it. Whatever is enjoyable about having a guitar in your hands, see that. For me, the "fun" is in searching for notes. Trying a new note or chord. Experimenting. Sometimes I find the note I was looking for, other times find a surprise, other times learn a new note. The fun never ends. Another way to look at it is: It's not about guitar, it's about music. And music is whatever you want it to be, regardless of the sheetmusic and the tab and the books. There does'nt have to be structure. 35+ years of playing and I still hav'nt bothered to learn to read music, and I can play darn near anything I want within physical limitations. But even that is a motivation to get creative.. IMO, it's more fun to lift a song by ear, than to read it from a book. even more fun to make up your own songs...no one can tell you you're wrong. See the fun in it.

 

Nice post.

[lone eskimo]

Maybe I can help a little...
I used to suffer from the blues for most of my teen and young adult life. While I don't know your situation(s) I think you need to try to push thru it and get involved in something. Be it a duo, band, relationship, cycling- get out and spend less time 'thinking'.. I'm married now with 2 kids and I honestly don't have much time to even think about my sorry ass. I had a band though in the 90's and it kept me real busy before I was married. We eventually got real good and did some recording and touring. Now I play in a duo and look forward to the gigs. I write songs whenever I get time to myself.
Something will open for you if you're open for it. The rollercoaster ride of life goes back up:)! In my past I could never fathom the idea of touring with my own original band-and then getting married to a great person and owning a home- it was unthinkable... BTW- girls hate gloomy, whoa is me kind of guys.
Keep a happy side out loud:wave:

Mike:)

[Iwasonlyhuman]

Well, the personal stuff is just bad things going on. My adopted grandmother (or great aunt depending on who you ask) is dying, which has been expected but still has a horrible impact on my very fragile mother. My fiance is sick, and the doctors are scared it could be something incredibly serious. Of course, we don't know for sure, thus we are in the state of limbo that slowly kills people.

Honestly, I am very fortunate. My adopted grandmother is in her early 90s, my parents are still healthy, I am lucky enough to have a significant other, and I am health as well. I don't think the above is what killed my guitar playing. I do think that i need to find some sort of circle again, but since I just moved, it is quite difficult to meet anyone. But I am just really doom and gloom today, so don't mind me.

[TN.Frank]

Between being unemployed, having to work on my car and getting a compound bow and needing to practice with it I've just had no motivation to even look at my guitar let alone play it. My mind is just too full of other things right now.

[panhandler]

These are the kind of things that make for good listening.
Sit down and write the song! Hurry before the good times arrive.

[revive]

I'd suggest that you take a break from guitars. Just get away, relax, do other things that you find enjoyable, care for your loved ones, do something unusual.

Inspirations will come back to you and you'll go back to your guitar(s) in no time.

[gitnoob]

I'd suggest that you take a break from guitars.

 

 

I don't know. I took a break once. Lasted for 10 years.

 

Now I try to keep the rhythm of a daily practice routine. I fear that if I took a break, it might be hard to reestablish that daily rhythm.

[EdBega]

For me it's just learning new songs ... but yeah if you're not deriving some pleasure from it what's the point.

[revive]

I don't know. I took a break once. Lasted for 10 years. Now I try to keep the rhythm of a daily practice routine. I fear that if I took a break, it might be hard to reestablish that daily rhythm.

To me as long as you know you're a musician at heart, you'll come back in no time. No need for striving. It will come back naturally. You just need a little break to refresh yourself & replenish your inspirations. What may be tricky is, while you're taking a break, don't detach yourself completely from music. Keep it in the back of your mind, so when the moment comes when you make that special observation or experience something special, the musician in you will 'turn' it into a source of inspiration. Which will bring you back to your guitars

So take a break. But don't really take a break.... I know!

I take kind of a similar approach when solving a complex problem at work... when I feel I already hit a wall, then I'll take a break. Striving would be counter-productive. Just take a break, relax, do something else, while keeping that problem in the back of my mind. Then usually a eureka! moment will come, either during the break or when I come back to attend the problem after the break

[martinipm]

The thing that has worked for me lately is watching a lot of guitar videos on youtube. At some point, I will see a video that will inspire me and then I'm off into the land of the playing again!