Why do some people stop playing guitar?

Have you ever started to play guitar and then stopped? Maybe you played for a day or a week or two, but just never really got into it consistently? Have you ever wondered why this can happen?

On my guitar journey, I've definitely had my share of starts and stops. Since first picking up a guitar in 1998 until now, it's been interesting to reflect on why I stopped playing during certain periods.

 

If I could go back in time and give my younger self some tips, my advice would be:

• Have fun playing and enjoy the process - understanding that every master was once a disaster!
• Make playing the guitar 5-10 minutes per day a habit, and keep adding to knowledge and repertoire little by little
• Focus on the basics (ex: practicing major, minor and 7th chords)
• Select some easy beginner songs to play and stay with them until you can play it all the way through
• Learn from others - find excellent teachers and continually learn from them

Even though I've had my challenges, I'm really happy that I continue to play guitar. I've found that the accomplishment of playing and creating songs you enjoy has been a wonderful gift in and of itself.

How about you? Why did you stop or restart playing guitar? What advice would you give to encourage others who may be reading this, but don't feel like they're making progress?