Transcript included below…

Today, we’re going to acknowledge the importance of having people in our lives who cheer us on as we play our guitars.

As I string these words together, I’m seated on a bench at our local swimming pool while my daughters diligently practice swimming on their swim team.

Every few months, they get to participate in a swim meet, where they get to see if they can beat their personal best. There isn’t a huge amount of focus placed on competing against other swimmers, no matter how many lanes are full.

I’d like to draw a parallel, right off the bat. Just like our discussion in Guitar Serious Fun Episode 66, “The Guitarist We Should All Surpass”, the aim is to grow and improve steadily, and to compare ourselves with who we were yesterday.

But at these swim meets, there are usually hundreds of people, a loud voice broadcasting the heats, and a loud beep and a flash to provide the starter cue for each race to begin.

It’s a little intense.

And as a parent, my responsibility is to volunteer in some capacity. Sometimes, I’ve been an announcer, literally saying, “This is the first call for such and such event. Swimmers to your marks. Mister or Madam Referee.”

Other times, I’m holding a button in one hand and a stopwatch in the other as I time the swimmers from start to finish. Inevitably, when I’m timing the heats, I’ll have a queue of swimmers all lined up in order. They range in age, all the way up through high school.

But at a recent meet, I was surprised to see some very young people. Like age 7. There was one particular young man who was standing next to the starter block in his little swimsuit, cap and goggles, and he was shaking, like a frightened animal.He was afraid. This was his first meet.

Now, I was only there as a timekeeper, but this little guy looked right up at me and was clearly in need of some encouragement. We’ll call him Henry.

Henry said, “Do I have to do this? ‘Cause jumpin’ in the water freaks me out!”At first, I didn’t know what to say, but then the words came to me. “Henry, you know how to swim, right?”He sheepishly nodded. It was clear that swimming wasn’t the challenge – it was the loud, high-pressure environment of the meet that seemed to overwhelm him.

“Well, Henry,” I said, “everybody’s just here to get better at swimming. You want to get better at swimming, right?”Again, a small, meek nod.

I said, “Henry, you’re up next. So, I encourage you to just go for it. See how you do. Just enjoy swimming and do your best. You got this.”Something about what I said was enough of a catalyst to Henry for him to mount the starter block and to jump (not dive) into the water and complete his short swim.

Did he get a great time? No. I think he was among the last to finish.

But what do you think happened in his mind as he completed the race?He felt a sort of victory…one that he wouldn’t have felt if he hadn’t jumped in and swam. And I’ll bet anything that the next time he stood by the starter blocks for a meet, he would have less reluctance and more courage.

So, in a way, I served as a sort of “cheering section” for little Henry.

Taking Heart

The word “courage” has to do with “taking heart.” We are courageous from our hearts. But sometimes we need to be “encouraged” by someone else.Henry didn’t need practical advice. He just needed someone to believe in him, cheer him on, and tell him that he was going to be fine.

I have people in my life who encourage me. The words they offer are deeply felt, and deeply needed by me.

When I’m about to lead worship, there are times when I need to be encouraged to step forward in obedience. When I’m about to do a concert, I often need to be encouraged to bring the message I know the Lord wants the audience to hear.

When I’m thinking about writing a song, I sometimes need to be encouraged to express my creativity on that intimidating blank page and to lean into my art, trusting that no matter how many drafts and revisions, there will eventually be a song to share.

The people who encourage me are first under my roof. My wife and daughters believe in me in ways that no one else does. My extended family and my close friends are also very supportive.

There’s also something to be said for fellow musicians who “get it,” and if you’re a musician, this needs no further explanation.

If you’re an aspiring musician, and you’re thinking about learning to play the guitar, you’ll eventually understand that we musicians think about music a little differently from the average music listener. We feel it more deeply in some ways, and we understand it on a whole different level. But that means we often need an extra measure of encouragement in this type of art. We feel things more deeply, including doubt or discouragement.

So, encouragement is vital to our process, and to our calling.

Now, a case could be made for someone who states that they don’t need any encouragement to do their music. Perhaps those kinds of people exist, but I haven’t met them.

However, I’ve found a loophole. Progress with music can still provide encouragement, and perhaps that’s where they receive their form of encouragement to keep going.

But having a “cheering section” in your corner can really help you with morale, perspective, and even the “joy” factor as you continue forward on your musical journey.

So, I believe every guitarist needs a cheering section.

Don’t Give Up

If you’ve ever heard the song “Don’t Give Up” – a duet between Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, you know that Peter sings the verses about his struggles, and Kate takes the choruses and the bridge, as she encourages him to keep going, no matter how hard it gets.

If we have people in our circles who can encourage us, we are much less likely to give up. But if someone is living life as an island, they’re in isolation, and they get discouraged about their lack of musical progress or something related to their musical journey, they just might give up.

Speaking transparently, my default setting is to self-isolate when things get hard. I don’t tend to ask for prayer, for encouragement, or for support. I turn inward. This is not good.Have you ever met someone who quit their musical instrument? We all have.

There can be various reasons for quitting an instrument, but I would again submit for your consideration that if someone has a cheering section in their life, they are much less likely to give up.

I invite you to consider spinning back through Guitar Serious Fun Episode 71 – “Why Some People Quit Guitar (and How to Avoid Giving Up)”. There are eight tips I offer in that episode, and the 7th one is to connect with a tribe of guitar players.

I’ll share the African Proverb with you again – “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Right?

We need others.

Kate Bush was a “cheering section” in that song for Peter Gabriel. We need that “cheering section” in some aspect of our lives as we lean into the guitar and music, because the challenging times will come. There will be things that take weeks, months or years to overcome musically, and without that “cheering section,” things could take longer or maybe not even happen.I’ve shared with you about songs I’ve created that have taken upwards of seven years to learn, because they’ve been so complex and technically demanding. Do you think I needed a “cheering section” along the way?

When we’re dealing with people we serve or serve with, who don’t have anything positive to say to us, or who express their lack of appreciation for what we do (see Guitar Serious Fun Episode 70 – “The Underappreciated Guitarist”), we need a cheering section to offer us some affirmation.

When it’s been a while since we’ve felt real momentum on our musical journeys, we need a cheering section.

When we don’t feel like practicing but we know it’s going to be good for us, we need a cheering section.

Next Steps

Let’s say you have people in your life who truly encourage you on a regular basis. That’s great. I praise God for that. If you are feeling encouraged, I encourage you to pass along some encouragement to someone else.

The people who need the most encouragement are probably not going to outright ask for it. I just don’t recall encountering folks who say, “Hey, I could really use some encouragement with my guitar playing. Could you say something to me that might encourage me?” And yet…if encouragement is offered, it’s typically appreciated on some level, or maybe on a very deep level. For those who have an especially deep appreciation for the love language of words of affirmation, the opposite tends to do even more damage. Saying something critical (not constructive) can have lasting effects on these kinds of people…like decades of emotional hurt from a single conversation.I do believe we need to be sturdy vessels, like I talked about in Guitar Serious Fun Episode 58 – “When Someone Criticizes Your Guitar Playing,” but let’s be sure to be kind whenever we can. Those who are receptive to constructive criticism will go far.

But sometimes, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

And like my mama taught me, “If you don’t have something nice to say, maybe don’t say anything at all,” right?

If you’re spiritually and emotionally sensitive enough, you’ll know when to share your thoughts. Timing is key. Someone who has just stepped off the worship platform from leading might not be ready for immediate feedback of a critical nature (whether constructive or not), even though the socially unaware congregant might be jumping at the chance to “help” them with some thoughts.

Waiting until later in the week to have a conversation (not send an e-mail or text, which can be misinterpreted), might be a better way to serve that individual.

So, look for opportunities to be an encourager, a cheering section.

We each need someone who believes in us. And more people who believe in us can be even better.

Inside GuitarSuccess4U, we host weekly Zoom calls where my members (whom I affectionately call my Guitar Successors), gather for 30 minutes to enjoy informal discussions about any manner of topics, whether practical, theological, philosophical, or to enjoy some time with a guest expert. But everyone leaves these calls deeply encouraged, including me. This is one of the unique aspects of GuitarSuccess4U that I just haven’t found anywhere else; a like-minded community of followers of Christ who are developing their guitar skills at their pace, for the glory of God.

That’s a recipe for sweet fellowship and encouragement.

And if that wasn’t enough, the second lesson of every month inside GuitarSuccess4U is what I call an “Encouragement Lesson,” where I take time to offer an encouraging thought, scripture, story or anecdote that’s intended to build up the viewer and remind them that they are not alone and have what it takes (including the presence of the Lord) to press on and pursue their goals.

Have you experienced a guitar learning environment where encouragement was a value that was “baked into” the experience? I have not. Therefore, I had to create it.

So in terms of next steps, if you haven’t yet found your people, and you value encouragement, you just might want to take a closer look at GuitarSuccess4U. The website is GuitarSuccess4U.com.

Please have a look around and discover what might be missing from your guitar and music journey.

Wrap-Up

As we wrap up today, I’d like to circle back around to the swim meet.

Now, little Henry the swimmer may have instantly forgotten me in the cacophony of that swim meet.

Or maybe…just maybe…he’ll grow up with a faint memory of me cheering him on, so much so that he might soon become a “cheering section” for someone else, not just on his swim team, but in other avenues of life.

Can you sense the “legacy” factor of what I’m alluding to?

We have no promise of tomorrow, but we can leave a legacy. Even today. So, if you can take a step towards encouraging someone else on their journey, you can become a part of something bigger.

I truly hope you do. And I look forward to the possibility of speaking encouragement into your life, even beyond these episodes here. So, keep playing your guitar, keep having serious fun, and if you’re looking for the next level, please consider joining GuitarSuccess4U.

Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time.

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