Dreams and Reality

Many years ago I bought a guitar.  This decision was motivated about dreaming of playing in a band.

I never wanted to be the lead singer, but be the cool, sullen guitarist, who stood in the background, but was the real talent that carried the band.  Being the hardworking, introvert really appealed to me.

But I never got as far as joining a band.  After about a month of making the purchase my guitar was sat in the corner, dusty.  I wasn’t much good at tuning my guitar and after three months I hadn’t got any better at it.

I thought that if I got some music lessons this would help my enthusiasm – I would be able to play a bit better and actually be able to tune the damn thing.

I didn’t drive so it had to be someone local.  In the end I never bothered researching local instructors and so my guitar sat unloved.

Eventually I went to university – it might have been a good time to take the guitar with me, I could have met some musicians who could teach me, let me join their band or find a teacher.  But I left it at home.

When I came home from University my guitar was put away.  I didn’t try playing it much, the few chords that I had been busy practicing and the start of that Johnny Cash song that I nailed down I had forgotten.

I hurt myself… today….

The guitar kicked around under my bed for a few years, until I needed some cash and sold it on E-bay for a bargain price.

I never got to play in a band, but I realise that I enjoyed the fantasy of the dream being a musician – being the centre of attention, being in cool venues, partying into the night, getting paid and having girls throwing themselves at me.

If I had been truly dedicated to the guitar I would have put in the hardwork – I would have found a teacher, and practiced every night – I would have mastered a dozen songs and then started finding other musicians, going to open mic nights etc, playing in front of people who couldn’t give a shit about listening to you – doing everything I could to hone my craft.

I guess if you really want something bad enough, you will make every effort to achieve it.

But the reality was I didn’t want the dream enough, I just liked the thought of the end destination.  And I think that is why many people dream about success, but don’t live the reality – wanting the quick easy route to success, fame and fortune.

I work in project management, and although that will never match up the glamorous world of being a rockstar, it has it similiarities (hear me out).  There is no easy way to quick success – for me be a skillful, knowledgable and experienced project management I have to take each step one at a time, exactly the same as if I wanted to be the lead guitarist in a cool band.

Like everything in life, dreams are just the beginning, you have to work hard to making that reality.