This is my 2nd attempt at learning the guitar. I started with Justin Guitar a year ago and lasted about 30 days before fizzling out. I restarted 6 weeks ago with a different attitude and mindset and I think it is going to take this time and I’ll be playing guitar for years to come.
Last year I was frustrated by how poorly I was playing and felt I wasn’t progressing fast enough. This time I realize that I’m going to suck for years and it’s OK to suck. Somedays are great, some I struggle, but I’m enjoying every single practice session and can’t wait for the next one. It’s a long journey and I shouldn’t expect to be great (or even good) anytime soon.
Whenever I start some new hobby I go all-in and it consumes me sometimes for a year or 2 sometimes for life. Learning the guitar is definitely all I think about these days and that’s a good thing. Some of my other past and current hobbies…
Trapshooting, scuba diving, electronics/robotics, woodworking, photography, underwater photography, golf, 3d printing, cycling, and many more.
I’m 62yo, and semi-retired, I do fine art photography all over the world and am on the board of directors for a local non-profit maker space.
Oh gosh, this! I’ve come to this same realization, BUT I also know that sucking is relative. I’ve decided to acknowledge that I will spend years sucking less each year. Looking forward to seeing you around the community! Welcome from a former (very long ago) San Josean.
Welcome to the forum. Great to meet you. I had a stop and start and what helped it stick the 2nd time around was I had a more specific goal than just to learn guitar.
its well worth the effort, i’m so very glad i stuck with it, it’s life changing like no other of the many hobbies I’ve had
Welcome, Craig. you’ve had a lot of hobbies. I did, too. Sewing, crocheting, gardening, hiking, quilting, painting, photography… I’ve pretty much stopped everything (well, a little gardening, very little) for learning guitar. We all struggle, we all have good days and bad days, but this is a great thing to be doing! This is a great place to learn and connect with fellow journey-ers. Have fun.
I have good days and bad days and I also started the guitar journey many times over the years. If you are stuck, then the community is here to support and offer advice.
We all progess at differnet rates and its import not compare yourself to other people’s progress.
Have fun and enjoy the next start to your guitar journey.
Craig, welcome to the community. I had several starts and stops with Justin Guitar, but finally found consistency with a fixed time to practice, tracking my progress, recording myself and joining the community and it helps that I am retired. But most importantly, I followed Justin’s advice and made sure that on half of the days I practice, I focus on having fun. Good luck with your progress. Have fun and you will keep practicing and make progress.
Hi Craig and welcome to the forum!
Sounds like you have an amazing job (business?) you have with your photography and lots of exciting hobbies to keep you busy too!
I was lucky enough to visit San Jose in 2019 for the Zoom conference, didn’t get much time to look around unfortunately, but interested to get back there some time to explore about a bit more.
All the best with your journey, I wish you a lot of fun!
Hello Craig.
Welcome to JustinGuitar and the Community. I’m arriving late to the hello and welcome party. You’re now several weeks further along and I hope you are making great progress. Not burning out but glowing with a flame that lasts.
There are many good folk here who will happily offer help and encouragement to those coming up behind them on Justin’s Beginner Courses. They embody and carry the pay-it-forward ethos we have nurtured for many years in our community. There are many old hands too who have years and (hopefully) a bit of wisdom they can bring as they give their support to those hitting the road blocks - which we all do.
Just ask if you need anything else.
Cheers
| Richard_close2u | JustinGuitar Official Guide, Approved Teacher & Community Moderator.
Hi Craig, welcome. Good you found this new hobby and that after attempting to master it in a breeze found a better strategy to progress with it. Guitar learning is something that you have to enjoy both practicing and playing because learning something new with the guitar will take a bit of practice, be it a new technique, a new song, or applying new learnt techniques to a known song.
I’ve come to this same realization, BUT I also know that sucking is relative. I’ve decided to acknowledge that I will spend years sucking less each year. 
Looking forward to seeing you around the community! Welcome from a former (very long ago) San Josean.
