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What can you do using consistency as your primary tool?  You can do the most amazing things, check this out.

While looking for music to enjoy while doing my daily office tasks, I came across a YouTuber, a young man who had decided to learn guitar and keep track of his progress, and he did so on YouTube.

The first couple of months learning guitar for this young man were the most difficult, it took time for his fingers to toughen up.  He could only play 30 minutes at a time.  That was May 2011.  After 30 hours he could play a couple of simple songs we all could recognize.

He learned by watching others on YouTube.  Now, able to crudely play two songs, he became more intense.  He began to try playing songs that were way beyond his current ability.  No longer willing to just use YouTube tutorials, he started watching performances of outstanding guitar players, slowing YouTube down to .5x speed so he could watch and copy every hand movement.

By September 2011, after only 330 hours of practice time, he was able to play much more complex and pleasing music like Dueling Ninjas by Trace Bundy.   This was a huge step forward.

Then after eight months, 836 hours, he just didn’t practice much and his progress stalled.  Like so many, he’s playing was okay but not really good.

It was then he posted his first couple of tunes on YouTube.  He received positive feedback.   Driven by the comments on YouTube more than playing guitar his obsession took hold.  Posting more and practicing much more.  He was beginning to love playing and growing and posting it.  He says, looking back, I wish I had not wasted those hours.

Now, February 2016, after 3056 hours, music was beginning to flow.  He’s playing began to change, DRAMATICALLY.  He started practicing 6 – 7 hours a day.  He saved money for a new guitar, a good step up, and motivation to push his interest into an obsession with consistency.

He started doing his own versions, more advanced versions of popular songs.  In January 2017 he began writing his own tablature at 4,440 hours.  By May the same year, he reached 5,020 hours but slowed down due to a painful finger, so he searched for a better way to play without pain.  At this same time, he posted a cover of an Indonesian song and it reached 3 million views on YouTube.

Then he stepped out.  No more cover songs.

He began to experiment, still practicing consistently, but adding percussion, harmonics and tapping to his creative style.

This was self-inspiring, he again rose to 6 – 7 hours of daily practice time.  Now with ten methods of playing down, he was becoming very creative.

With 7,000 hours of practice and 245,000 YouTube subscribers, Mattias Krantz has mastered playing guitar.

What area of obsessive consistency would change your life?

It is Better Late than Never!

Find what you love to do and do it.  Well, for me, and no doubt for many of you, that didn’t work.

Why?  That statement doesn’t include you as the most important part.  If you’re lucky enough to find a career that comes with a complete identity, and that identity fits you well, maybe it’s a good statement.

Most of us will struggle with this catch-phrase until we see a much bigger picture.  To see it, ask yourself this question.  How can I do this job, career, or own this business and do it in a way I look forward to it every day?

Now that’s a twist.   Think about it.

Create your journey!

 

When you first set sail to deeper waters than you’ve ever sailed before, there’s a feeling you’ll have that makes you wonder, what am I doing, how rough are the waters going to be?  Maybe I should just sail down the coast, after all, who needs to go there anyway. Is there really anything I’ll see at the Virgin Islands we don’t have at South Padre?

When that feeling comes, shake it off.  That feeling’s the very thing that keeps us from our dreams.

Stay the course!

 

When we are starting over, we can not hold on to the past.  We must let go.

Starting over is about recreating from the beginning.  You’re not starting over if you carry the baggage of your past.  This we’ve all been told so it must be true.

Most of us, however, have acquired a lot of assets.  Don’t discard assets as baggage.  What relationships do we have that are assets?  What knowledge from our experience is an asset?  What would you do different this time if you could just continue the journey from where you are?

When our car breaks down on a long trip, we fix the problem and go on our way!  In life, we hear the age-old adage, start over.  Think about it, you wouldn’t be halfway to California, have a blow-out and when you replace the tire that has stopped your progress, go back to Texas and start over would you?

That just doesn’t make sense.

Here’s what we should say, continue with an updated plan!  Reschedule, replan and get rolling!

After all, Life is a Journey!

There are days that your best-laid plans will not move forward.

The event was rained out.  The plans you had could not move forward, conditions were beyond your control, what now?

That’s when you take advantage.  Rained Out means you just gained time.

Some say you can’t add time to you clock, but if you take advantage, you can.  This is time you did not have.  Use it.  Capitalize on this extra time.

Do something extreme, something you’ve been putting off.  Something that could bring great returns in the very near or distant future.   Something you would not have done in your typical day or work schedule.

This could become a quantum leap!

 

It’s raining, it’s pouring and it’s expected to continue for days on end.

Here in Texas, there is one thing I know for sure.

The Sun will shine again!

Plan ahead for the sun to shine in your life.

It could be very soon.

 

Is there something you want, a goal you’ve not yet reached?

Ask yourself, What’s Holding Me Back?   

Do you often feel it’s too late?

What if it’s not too late?  What would you do?

Is it believable?  Could it be believable, for you?

What if you just don’t have a clue but know that you want more?  Maybe you need more direction, help to know what is best to do?

Now imagine, having a real support team to help you make it possible!

Would you join a team of like-minded people who help each other reach their goals by sharing?

If you have an interest in support, leave a comment!

Practice – Scalable – Launchable

A business is typically one of the above.  When choosing your next career you should first have a clear picture of what these three words represent.

Years ago I started a business and after years of trying found it was not realistically scalable.  In my case, I could not multiply it x10 or any number.  That is, not and maintain the quality I enjoyed providing for my clients.

My business was and still is, a practice.  Limited in growth.

For my next career, I choose not a practice, not a  scalable business, but a career that is launchable.  What’s the difference you may ask!

Scalable is a business idea or model you can multiply x10 or x 100, etc.  Launchable simply means you can set it in motion and it continues to grow, like a space exploration capsule.   It continues for years and years to send back to you based on the quality of what you “send out”.

Launchable.

What can you focus on that will bring more living into your life?

What skills can you acquire to magnify this focus?

Focus and refine your efforts.

Live!

 

The skies are clear this morning.  (I took a peek & saw the stars!)

I have plenty of productive work to do and good health to do it.

My wife, two grown kids, their loves and my grandchild are all doing well.

We live in a country with unlimited opportunities and resources.

I will be productive today, I will live this day well!

Today I celebrate my 63rd Birthday!

For these things and more, I am truly grateful.