Is there such a thing as "Quitter's Remorse?"
Can someone explain why, after supposedly giving up on music, I found myself playing air bass guitar during the drive into work this morning? And enjoying it? I didn't even have any music playing, except for the tunes stuck in my head recently.
Last night, I could not bring myself to put the guitars in the closet. I was having "quitter's remorse." I spent about an hour playing with tone (and, damn, did I find some killer tone), and even playing along to some songs. Even conjured up a couple of riffs (and did that ever surprise me).
I want to play so badly...but the experience leaves me unsatisfied. What could it be? Is it more accurate for me to say: "I want to play, but *only* if I can play with absolute precision?" I did notice that I found it more enjoyable when I hit all the right notes without fail. Admittedly, I'm a perfectionist. That comes in handy most of the time, but it causes just as many problems. Like giving up on something potentially wonderful when I can't do it perfectly.
There's likely something else going on: What's the reward? And I don't mean the financial kind. I'm certainly not one to shy away from hard work, heck I even seek it out, and for the most part my best reward is that "warm fuzzy feeling that I did something tangible that makes a difference." Unless I'm performing for an audience, or releasing songs, can I ever find that feeling in music?
So, I ask the blogosphere (yes, you may now slap me silly for using the word "blogosphere"):
What inspires you? What are your "rewards" for your art, writing, music, etc? Or at least, what keeps you from giving up on something you want?
Last night, I could not bring myself to put the guitars in the closet. I was having "quitter's remorse." I spent about an hour playing with tone (and, damn, did I find some killer tone), and even playing along to some songs. Even conjured up a couple of riffs (and did that ever surprise me).
I want to play so badly...but the experience leaves me unsatisfied. What could it be? Is it more accurate for me to say: "I want to play, but *only* if I can play with absolute precision?" I did notice that I found it more enjoyable when I hit all the right notes without fail. Admittedly, I'm a perfectionist. That comes in handy most of the time, but it causes just as many problems. Like giving up on something potentially wonderful when I can't do it perfectly.
There's likely something else going on: What's the reward? And I don't mean the financial kind. I'm certainly not one to shy away from hard work, heck I even seek it out, and for the most part my best reward is that "warm fuzzy feeling that I did something tangible that makes a difference." Unless I'm performing for an audience, or releasing songs, can I ever find that feeling in music?
So, I ask the blogosphere (yes, you may now slap me silly for using the word "blogosphere"):
What inspires you? What are your "rewards" for your art, writing, music, etc? Or at least, what keeps you from giving up on something you want?