The Art of Accessibility

In my last blog, I ended with five tools for success. For me, everything that we do in life can reveal parallels and parables that teaches and trains us to become better people. Over the past few months I have been teaching several people in my area the art of playing guitar. During this endeavor I have begun to see how playing guitar can possibly change a person's life. Learning the art of playing the guitar doesn't unlock some secret magic but applying the learned principals, parallels and methods to your everyday life can.

"Your time is a zero sum game. When you say yes to one thing, you are simultaneously saying no to something else. The more successful you get, the more difficult this becomes. You find yourself saying no to good things—worthy things—in order to say yes to your most important priorities."- Michael Hyatt

Learning any new skill requires time, people, resources, tools, and practice. I understand that everyone isn't interested in learning to play the guitar but I firmly believe that anyone who really wants to can learn to play. The possibility for one to learn any skill is not a matter of having time, people, resources, tools, or opportunities. It is a matter of what one truly desires in his or her heart to do and believing that it is possible to be done. The first parallel that I drew from the 5 Essential Guitar Accessories post was that every guitarist needs a guitar stand and the art of accessibility.

Accessibility is the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity. Having your guitar out on a stand makes it more accessible to the guitarist. When you inline your life with finding success, which is discovering your true passions and bringing them to life, you will need to discover the art of accessibility. These are 3 elements to the art of accessibility.

1. The Element of Time-

Have you ever made the excuse of not having enough time to take on a new task or learn a new skill? I know I have. We all have been given the same amount of time. The difference is in how we use that time we have been given. Knowing that alone can empower you or hold you captive. The difference in a successful persons time and an unsuccessful persons time is a matter of how it is spent. Timing is everything and the time to pursue your passions and dreams is now. Invest in prioritizing your time. This doesn't mean having some rigid schedule that you can never deviate from. It means setting objectives for each day that will bring you closer to seeing your goals and passions come to life.

2. The Element of Saying Yes-

When my children came into my life I promised myself to say yes to them as often as possible. I want to provide the best things in life for my children to have the best life possible. Saying yes for some people can be difficult. When dreams are crushed and when affirmation isn't given, fear becomes the root element in saying no to the pursuit of their dreams. They develop a belief system of fear in their unconscious mind.  Fear of failure and ridicule often is the reason why we don't say yes to our passions and dreams. By being accessible to saying yes and facing down fear you open doors of success.

3. The Element of Saying No-

 Choose who you give your attention and time to. Sometimes we get caught up in giving way more than we should. How can the hungry serve and feed others, if they haven't gotten their needs meet? We can only 'go' on just so much and if we truly want to give and help others, why not give them our best? Instead we say yes to everyone and opportunity that comes our way. These are the actions of a person tossed by the ocean of life. They don't know or have forgotten what their true passions and dreams are. They blindly say yes to everything. People make this mistake in church circles all the time. Understand that your faith isn't based on how much you give but on your intentions in what you do. Be intentional with who you give your time, mind, heart, attention, money, and trust to.

"The more successful you are the less accessible you become to people. Success has a way of pulling you away from people and because you can’t be with everyone you have to limit your circle and those people get 100% of the attention."- John Maxwell.

The Art of Accessibility is a matter of making the most of your time, knowing when to say yes, and knowing when to say no. Mastering this art will bring you closer to fulfilling your passions, dreams, and divine purpose.

Have you ever had to say no to opportunities that kept you from your goals? Leave your answers and comments in the 'comments' section or as you share this blog on Facebook with your friends. Be sure to also share the art of accessibility with your followers on Twitter.

5 Essential Guitar Accessories

When new clients and students ask me, "What do I need to play guitar?", I'm quick to say that all you need is passion to learn and a guitar to play. I also like to recommend 5 essential guitar accessories to go along with your guitar. For seasoned players, this may sound trivial to you. Continue reading for a parallel to your guitar essentials and tools for living a successful life.  

1. Guitar Stand- (Price $9-$10) Any Guitar Stand will do. This will help prevent your new or old guitar from getting damaged by kids running through your home. Even if you don't have kids running around, it is good to have your guitar on a stand for stability and to prevent falls, dents, cracks, scratches, and breaks from occurring. It also allows for easy accessibility for playing. With it being out of the case, it maintains a constant cool environment. This helps prevent warping and splits.  

2. Guitar Case- (Price $15-$140) The case is the only way to travel with your guitar. Some people keep their guitars in a case but if you aren't traveling, keep it out on your stand. You are more apt to play it when you can visually look at it every day. With the exception of your guitar stand, you can carry all of your accessories in your case when you travel. Of course the hard shell cases are more expensive but worth it in the long run. Soft shell or Gig bags are affordable and lite weight. They are good for first time guitar players that travel locally with their guitar. If you are planing to take your guitar with you out on the road or on vacation, then spend the extra cash on a hard shell. Most dealers will offer the case with the purchase. That is usually when you'll get your best deal on one.

3. Guitar Tuner- (Price $15-$20) Your best friend can be your tuner. I would invest in a nice clip on one for an acoustic and a nice plug in for an electric. Over time you will not use your tuner as much but it will save you a lot of time and frustration when you are starting out playing. I have also found that when the sounds of other musicians doing sound checks and just the noisy sounds of a coffee shop can get in the way of getting your ear into a great tune. Having a tuner gets you over that hurdle with out embarrassing yourself or your friends. People may only get silent when you are ready to start to playing, so you want it to be in tune when they are.  

4. Guitar Picks- (Price $4 for 12) When you go to buy your guitar pick, you will notice the various selections. Don't get sold on colors and size. You are looking for thickness and grip. If you are playing acoustic guitar, then you will need a medium to thin pick. Electric guitarist usually go for a thicker less flexible pick. I recommend Dunlop Nylon USA picks. I have never had one to break, ever. Keep about four or five picks in your case and around your playing spots at home. You are going to lose one here and there, later on it is like finding loose change around your house.

5. Guitar Strap/Strap locks- (Price $7-$10) Having a strap enables you to stand and play. I would recommend you get strap pegs installed on your guitar if they don't have them already. It takes the stress and weight off the head of the guitar. It also frees up your playing arm. I also mention strap locks to my clients and students. Mainly for electric guitars, strap locks lock the strap to the guitar, preventing the strap from coming off during play. They come in many different styles and looks. If you aren't confident about putting them on yourself, take them to a shop.

Now, let us look at the parallel in tools for a successful life...

1. Accessibility- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar stand allows you to have your guitar in a safe and accessible location for playing, making yourself accessible to the possibilities of success is essential to living a successful life.

2. Boundaries- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar case provides protection for your guitar, having healthy boundaries as you live and go about your life is essential to living a successful life.

3. Discernment- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar tuner can line up all the strings on the guitar for a great sounding guitar, having discernment can help you tune into what is going on in and around your life, which leads to much success.

4. Peace- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar pick brings out the crisp sound of your guitar strings, having peace can help you bring out the best in you and others around you, this leads you to a successful way of life.

5. Balance- (Price- Free) Just like the guitar strap brings balance and freedom to the guitarist to move and play, having balance can help you stand tall and solve many of life's situations that usually hinder your success.

In my next blog post series, "How Playing Guitar Can Change Your Life", I'll be sharing with you in more detail the parallels that I have found in playing guitar and living a successful and happy life.

3 Medical Reasons to Play Guitar

Doctors are saying that playing an instrument and listening to music can be like medicine. Neurologist are prescribing it for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, stroke and depression. The beauty and power of music can bring clarity at times when the brain is out of balance. A student's father recently reminded us of Albert Einstein's interest in playing the violin. It is said that Einstein would retreat to playing his violin when he faced a difficult problem. I'm not Einstein but when I'm facing difficult situations or problems, I find my self retreating with my guitar to a quiet place to sing and play. 

1. Playing Guitar can strengthen your mind. Learning to play guitar (or any instrument you like) often challenges the student to think outside of the realm of every day activities. Playing can help you train your brain to focus quickly on what you are playing or learning to play. 

2. Playing guitar can alleviate  feelings of depression. Taking time to play a little everyday will be an escape for those who feel overwhelmed with work, school, and/or relationships. It is a chance to drift and focus on something other than your worries. Take note that this isn't a cure for depression but it can ease the feeling.

3. Playing guitar can promote hand-eye coordination. This is why it is good to have a mentor to teach you guitar. They have struggled through the moves. They can help you make fluid movements on the guitar. For people who are struggling with hand-eye coordination (children especially) it can become a great tool and gage for development. 

Just know that the number one reason to play guitar is to have fun! Playing should never be a task that brings pain. I don't like it when parents force their children to learn an instrument. I have children and I'm a musician but that doesn't mean that they have to be one too. Naturally my children enjoy music, dance, karate, coloring, painting, and creative activities. Notice that all of that is art based. Being a musician or a guitarist is an art form. The above three medical reasons to play guitar could very well be replaced with, 3 Medical Reasons to be an Artist. We all have an artistic side to us. Tapping into that side is like medicine to the heart, mind, body, and soul. Do your self a favor, pick something up and get creative! 

David Wayne Manning, DWM Guitar

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