Lessons Learned From Being Materialistic
People assume by owning multiples of the same thing that one is materialistic and to a certain extent that is true. One only has to look at my possessions and realize I do not own one of anything. This includes everything from real estate to motorcycles. I even have four dogs but that is another discussion. This issue of mine might be attributed to my 13th birthday when I wished to receive a guitar and my parents instead gave me a polo shirt as it was deemed more practical than a guitar and thus destroying, I am sure, of what would have been an amazing rock career.
However, let us change our perspective slightly using guitars as an example and see if we can get a different interpretation of why it might be beneficial to own more than one of the same item? To learn to play a musical instrument has been proven to have many benefits to the individual including how certain regions of the brain develop, improved reasoning skills, and improved mood of the individual. We just thought it was the drugs…
To “Master” the guitar is a life time event. Meaning that the only end point to developing the skill of playing as an example is at ones death. The progression of learning to play the guitar does not happen with one specific playing session and often an expansion of time in practice is required before any meaningful development is noticed. I remember how long it took me to actually play a chord that sounded like a chord should sound. Bottom line to be accomplished the feedback loop is not instantaneous say like one would get from playing a video game or interacting with social media. This characteristic is what is so daunting about certain skill development which is counter intuitive to our nature especially in this instant response society. Furthermore, some argue there is a 10,000 hour requirement of deliberate practice to be accomplished at any skill. The rule has its skeptics but the point is clear in that it requires a lot cumulative hours to be accomplished.
Therefore, how does owning more of certain things help facilitate developing a skill? I will answer this question with a question. Are you more likely to practice playing the guitar if IT is in its case, or as the picture suggests hanging in the closet OR if you have more than one placed around various areas where you tend to occupy? If the guitars are within arm reach and staring you in the face everywhere you turn, they guilt you into picking them up and practicing. It removes the excuse(out of sight out of mind or inconvenience) not to practice, especially when the act of developing the skill requires tedious and less than exciting work.
In the case of the guitar, I place one next to the chair where I sit watching TV so at every break in the program it can be played. I place one in my office where I practice during my lunch break. I place one at the farm and have a smaller one that stays with my luggage for traveling. I place one next to my bed so I can do a five minute session before you go to bed, etc… The point is remove the excuse by leaving them within easy reach no matter your location. Why not have one guitar and move it around with you? I only agree if that is your only option but in my experience it is always where you are not.
Therefore, when it comes to doing dedicating your efforts to mastering anything the point is get more than one to facilitate your skill development and the point of owning four motorcycles? That my friend is just down right obnoxious.
