There are times when you want to give up

There are times when you want to give up on life and on what you are learning. No matter how much someone says they haven't, everyone has given up or tried to give up on a hobby, living, or an instrument. I think that music is an outlet that lets us escape so living is like listening to silence. We have to experience something to get my mind off the silence or make music to fill the void.

No matter what, there is always going to be someone with more experience

"Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is about failing and succeeding. No matter what, there is always going to be someone that is better than you but you have to push back that thought because one day that will be you if you keep working toward your goal. If one day, you want to be president, it is going to take observing and learning more and more through trial and error in order to get it down.

It takes time so give it time.

No matter what. Everything should be fine. If you stress out too much or lose focus of what is important then you are not going to be able to go forward. Learning to play an instrument is the same. You cant expect to play the piano like Beethoven after only a day just because you put in a lot of effort. It is only through trial and error as well as focusing and working towards goal that you should be able to reach your goal.

Everyone makes mistakes. It's human nature and everyone has those days.

"We learn from failure, not from success!" ― Bram Stoker

Mistakes are inevitable in life and music because only by starting at the bottom are we able to move up. No matter what, when you start an instrument or when you pick up a skill/hobby, mistakes are how we are able to determined or motivated we are.

Even if you are the best at one thing, you will lack something in other places

Even if you do meet mastery in one instrument, there is always going to be another that you could be better in. Even if you are the best in one thing, people will always compare your other skills to others. There is no avoiding the judgment of others especially if you are good at only one specific thing so become well versed in many.

No two people play an instrument the same way.

"We all play to a different tune." - Unknown

We all have tricks and shortcuts that change how we play that instrument. Nobody is like you. We are all unique and take different steps to get to the same destination. Some take it slow because it makes them feel safer but some also like to go fast at times because of the risk. Nobody thinks the same as others because of how we were raised.

Recognition for your effort is always worth the trouble and stress

Even if it is just a thumbs up or a pat on the back, being told we have worked hard to get to that point feels great and then you have a feeling of self-satisfaction. I think that is one of the most rewarding feelings and something that everyone should keep in mind because it is human nature to seek confirmation and affirmation of our effort. I certainly enjoy being praised and given a pat on the back. No matter how mall the gesture, it makes me satisfied and the feeling can leave me feeling happy for the rest of the day.

When you accomplish something, it makes you aim higher

Aim high and don't sell yourself short. Know that you're capable. Understand that a lot of people battle with a lot of things - depression, body image or whatever else - so know that it's not just you. You're not alone. - Holly Holm

When I graduated High School and when I finally learned how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the Erhu were both amazing feelings. Although they are on different levels of accomplishment, the feeling is similar because of all the work we put into accomplishing it. Getting to a level higher than beginner made me want to keep going and learn more complicated pieces. After I graduated High School and got my associates degree, I wanted to go higher so I am in University getting my Bachelors degree. We need a stimulus to keep everything interesting.

Your life is in your own hands. Its up to you to either follow the sheet or make your own music

Follow the normal path or carve your own. It is simple. People are starting to pave themselves their own paths now. But the majority is still following the straight and narrow that gives no room for living. Society makes us want to learn the pre-determined information that turns us onto a path paved for us but I want to stray. I want to do things spontaneously and enjoy my life as I go on. I don't know about you but I am carving my own and going through the tough challenges I have no clue will hold for me. It could lead me off a cliff or onto the golden brick road.

There are times when you just have to stop and rest. Don't push yourself.

If you concentrate on learning a skill or try too hard that you stress yourself to the point that you don't give yourself a break, you need to take a break. If you are constantly practicing an instrument, you will hurt yourself or won't make any progress because you need time in order to absorb the information. Even just a small break can make so much more of a difference in your life than you think. That is the reason why researchers say you should take a 30-minute break between study sessions, to refresh and think more clearly after stepping back to look at the whole picture.

Stop... take a breathe... relax... continue. That's all it takes.