The 5 Biggest Obstacles Holding Guitarists Back

What You’ll Learn

• Talent is a myth: progress comes from approach, not DNA. If you can speak, you can play.
• Judgment kills growth: replace “good/bad” thinking with listening to sound and connecting emotionally.
• Speed isn’t the goal: it’s a byproduct of clarity, repetition, and feeling shapes and sounds.
• Ears can be trained: listening, tagging, and memorizing sounds makes music less foreign and more familiar.
• Lack of direction stalls progress: clear goals and structured practice save time and create momentum.

Action Steps (Do This Now)

1. Shift Your Mindset (Today)
   • Each time you practice, ask: What does this sound feel like? Not: Am I good or bad at this?
2. Define One Specific Goal (5 min)
   • Write: “I want to ____ (e.g., improvise confidently over a ii–V–I).”
   • List the skills needed (e.g., chord tones, timing, phrasing).
3. Speed the Right Way (Daily, 10 min)
   • Choose one shape or lick.
   • Play it slowly while naming the sound/scale degree.
   • Only increase tempo after you can feel and hear the motion cleanly.
4. Train Your Ear (5–10 min)
   • Listen to a chord (C major, Dm, G7).
   • Sing one note from it, then find it on guitar.
   • Write down what that note “feels” like (home, tension, release).
5. Build Your Practice Plan (Weekly, 15 min)
   • Review your current skills vs. your goal.
   • Select 3 clear daily elements (e.g., “Fmaj7 arpeggio, 70 bpm, 8th notes” / “ii–V–I comping in G” / “ear-training intervals”).
   • Adjust weekly based on progress.