The Wisdom of the Guitar
“It’s only life after all…”
By Shanti Joy Gold
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been goal oriented and quite serious. While there were benefits to this intense focus, at times it also caused me to miss the point and get in my own way.
There’s no better example of this than my attempts to learn to play the acoustic guitar.
Acoustic guitar speaks to my soul. My favorite band is the Indigo Girls, and I’ve spent endless hours with headphones on, listening closely to the interplay between Emily’s flowing lead guitar and Amy’s driving rhythm.
Understanding my love of the instrument, my sweet Dad showed up to my college dorm with a vintage guitar. Maybe I could be an accomplished player?!? I found a good teacher and got to work.
I diligently practiced scales and basic chords. I was making steady progress until I got to the more challenging chords. I couldn’t do them. I was frustrated and beat myself up. Whatever joy I’d been experiencing evaporated. I stopped playing.
Fast forward 20 years. I wanted to play guitar again.
Here’s what was different for me. I had learned to navigate my oh-so-serious self in ways that better served me. I factored fun and fulfillment into the choices I made. And I realized that by letting go and enjoying the ride more, I was also better positioned to achieve and sustain my goals.
This time around, I reminded myself that I didn’t need to be a virtuoso and I wasn’t trying to headline stadiums. I could just learn songs I love and extend my connection to music by playing along. No practicing scales this time. Just chords and rhythm. No pressure. Just fun.
And sitting here today, guitar is one of the most joyful outlets in my life. I’m not the best guitar player out there, and that’s ok. I hold my own. Without all of the self-imposed pressure, I tackled the harder chords.
It’s just as Emily wrote in “Closer to Fine” as she riffed off of Oscar Wilde: “The best thing you’ve ever done for me is to help me take my life less seriously. It’s only life after all.” Amen, sister 🙂
I have a constant, cheesy smile on my face as I participate in the music. I’ve had the opportunity to jam with two musician friends – a vocalist and a lead guitar player – and it’s an experience I can only describe as pinch-myself-otherworldly. It’s a space of happiness, flow, creativity and tapping into something larger than myself.
Professional coaching has taught me these same principles – which I summarize at Grow with a Pro as “you got this, go play!” It’s exciting to work with high achievers to discover their version of this formula.
It’s just as Emily wrote in “Closer to Fine” as she riffed off of Oscar Wilde: “The best thing you’ve ever done for me is to help me take my life less seriously. It’s only life after all.” Amen, sister 🙂