Tag Archives: beginner

Start Where You Are: The Power of Baby Steps


I’m trying to make a vision come true, one in which my little machine functions so elegantly that I can make it do anything I want, at any time.

The problem is, I can get way ahead of myself. I stare off into space, my head full of ideas and speculations, how it will be and what I’ll be able to do once X, Y, and Z are finally in place.

Or, will X, Y, and Z ever really be in place? Am I kidding myself?

And then I realize that in order for any of that to actually come true, my only option is to start exactly where I am at the moment. And that can be distressing because it forces me to contend with the truth of exactly where I am at the moment, and I may not be particularly happy to have that fact rubbed in.

It makes me feel far from my goal, discouraged by the current state of affairs.

But the truth is, it is actually bringing me that much closer to my goal, for this reason: it is pretty much guaranteed that I will never get there if I don’t properly string together all the little things I need to learn to do and understand and operate my machine. I will never get there. My goal will never come true if I live in fantasy mode all the time.

The very first step to bringing it closer is to start exactly where I am now, and advance it just a little bit. Baby steps. Even the greatest marathon runner that ever lived moved in baby steps at one time.

Starting where you are is powerful. It is so powerful because it is the ONLY way to get there. It is busting with pure potential.

Anticipate the anxiety and the angst that will come up. Say to it, “ah yes, there you are, I figured you would show up.”

But don’t listen to it. Let it sit there and watch you courageously move ahead despite the fear, the inertia, the doubts that say you can’t get from here to there.

The ONLY WAY to get from here to there is to start here, and inch your way towards there.

Lisa’s Gift Guide for Guitar Lovers

At this time of year, I frequently get asked for gift suggestions for guitar fans.

Whether it’s a child’s first guitar, a must-have accessory for the guitar enthusiast, or a classic Woodstock T-shirt for the Boomer-Rocker, you’ll find a few of my favorite picks in the new Gift Guide for Guitar Lovers.

It’s been a ton of fun – kind of like being on a big shopping spree myself!

I’ve gone out to some of my favorite vendors and collected some of my favorite products.

To make shopping easier, I’ve divided the Guide into four sections:

  • Accessories & Necessities for Guitar Players
  • Fun Stuff for Guitar Lovers
  • Lessons, Books, and Magazines
  • BIG stuff (new guitars!)

Hopefully this will make shopping for your favorite guitar-lover just a little easier.

And if your favorite guitar lover is YOU, be sure and pass this Gift Guide along to your own personal Santa, with a hint-hint, a heads-up, and an irresistible little smile.

CLICK to VISIT LISA’S GIFT GUIDE for GUITAR LOVERS

I love my job

iStock_Dad+TeenGirl Ever since publishing my first songbook, Easiest Holiday Songs Ever for Guitar, I have received some of the sweetest thank-you emails.

Here’s one: “Dear Lisa, This is awesome, and very timely! My daughter and I are working on doing a duet with a couple of these songs. We are currently working on O’ Christmas Tree, with my 11 year old daughter working on the rhythm, and me the melody”.

So sweet! A family holiday tradition in the making?

Lots of people are grabbing the book and adding it to their collection, and that makes me feel just great. Here’s more about the book, Easiest Christmas Songs Ever for Guitar.

How did I get so lucky?

Best wishes, Lisa

PS: I think it has something to do with following my passion. 😉