Leaving I.M.

Before you give up for good and lose all hope please read this short story.

I knew a guy, who started playing guitar when he was 10 years old. He tried for a day and gave up.

When he was 14 he picked it up again and played every other day on and off for a few weeks then gave up again. "I'll never be good at guitar so what the point?" he thought to himself.

When he went to college he started playing...again and you know what? He sounded as horrible as he did when he started. "I have absolutly no natural talent" he thought. But he was egotistical and thought he would be "cool" if he played guitar so he kept playing a few times a week and sounded nothing but horrible.

It was hard to play guitar for such a lame reason, but as he played he started to appriciate other things about playing guitar. As he thought about it more his playing improved a litte. And I mean a little. He still over all sounded terrible.. He kept playing a few days a week but sometimes he went for months without a single note. The difference now was that when he put down the guitar he didn't say anything to himself. He gave up on pressuring himself to succeed and allowed his life to take its course.

A year later he now frequently finds himself sitting out on a sunny bench downtown collecting thankful comments and occationally even money from passers by. The people around him really enjoy hsi music. He still thinks hes not very good or skilled. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that he never gave up. It took him over 15 years to even begin to sound good. But he didn't give up. He took it easy on himself instead and now he plays and people like it.

Right now he's doing IM and looking at a sign. In simple blue ink on white lined paper tacked to his wall it says "Never Give Up!".

But whats the meaning?
It has nothing to do with perserverance. He learned from playing guitar that success sometimes takes a long time. But eventually, if the steps are taken, success will be had.

So, dont give up. Stop if you want. Stop for a day, a week, a month, a year. But unless you don't enjoy it, or the future it holds for you then what reason do you have to give up? Just stop. Take it easy on yourself. And come back to it when you're ready.

I agree...Just take a break. There's a difference between quitting and just needing a break.

Sometimes you just need to get your mind off of something for a while to "recharge".

Despite what the big gooroos say, it's OK if IM is a hobby or a sideline to supplement your income. Go get a job so you have some guaranteed cash...Just taking the pressure off yourself may do wonders.

But don't quit.

do you know how many great people "failed" before being successful?

Walt Disney declared bankruptcy several times before becoming a huge success.

digitalphantom95, take a rest, and then figure out what you really want to do. What makes you happy? Whatever it is, do more of it. Don't worry about the money. It will come.

I wish you every success and every happiness.