Confidence

I was talking to a professional musician the other day. She is a professional percussionist in an orchestra. She was training to become a classroom teacher to supplement income.
I not only admire but also envy such talent. But also their level of confidence. To be able to read music at such a high level and play. Plus just the confidence to teach High School kids. Ive never had that level of self belief. I sometimes wonder if faith in God is connected to self confidence.
And then there is fake confidence. "fake it until you make it". Ive never had that either.
Oh dear this thread is taking on a sad tone now. 😁 I didnt really want that to happen. Life is pretty good actually.

Even fake confidence has its merits because if you believe something long enough and hard enough it might eventually become true, at least in your mind.

Maybe we all fake it every day. Just to survive. Pretend we "know" where we are headed.
I wouldnt have survived this far if I hadnt applied the "fake confidence principle." But maybe that is what faith is. "there but for the grace of God go I " 😁

that is faith!

I think that a long lasting confidence happens when it’s from God. But sometimes the confidence we have is just from trying to not panic. 🤣

That might be a very profound statement artsie.
An atheist friend of mine was challenging me on the existence of God , the other day. When awful atrocities occur and people like those in North Korea suffer daily. I couldn't give a good answer except an unconvincing assertion of God's free will. Still underneath the intellect is something mysterious that we cant explain easily. Ive always had at least a vague sense that God exists, despite all the suffering in the world. When I encounter genuine love and kindness from people, that didnt just come from nowhere. Such encounters reaffirm my belief.

They say 5000 hours of anything makes you an expert. 10,000 hours of something makes you a “genius” in your subject. Does practice make perfect?


I play the piano among other things and my family are all musical. My parents were big into music when I was growing up and when I didn't want to do my piano practise, my Dad would say to me that Paul McCartney learned to play the piano by doing “20 mins a day” practice at least. He still doesn't read music but has great keyboard abilities and doesn't need to read music to actually write and produce songs out of nowhere. In fact he said that he still doesn't want to "learn to read music" as he thinks it might take away from his natural ability. Basically, if you do something everyday, you get better and better at it. It could be speaking Japanese, sport or playing the violin. Practice really does make perfect (or as perfect as you can be in anything really).

I admire those who have the discipline to do that as doing something over and over again, rewires the brain, which is why some can sit down and play a tune effortlessly. It's a bit like driving a car, playing golf, studying a language. If you do something everyday you get better and better at it.

I also think that when you “know” how to do something then that is confidence as you have the faith to know you can do it - an inner belief is etched into you.

Of course, it helps if you WANT to do it! But really, scientifically, it's a numbers game. I remember George Harrison saying when he wanted to learn the Sitar, he would never be able to do it - as he saw Ravi Shankar and thought, “how can I ever be as good as him?”. He turned out to be just as good as him, even with his own style and flair.

Hey Jude
20 minutes a day.
If that is all is needed for success in life, there would be a lot more successful people.
Also i wonder does it apply to teaching? Because good teaching is multi-skilled. Ive always thought naturally born teachers do it easily without practice
i play guitar. Uve improved through practice but I could never perform. Too much anxiety.
Macartney is a natural born genius. I attempt his Maybe Im Amazed via fingerstyle guitar. Just love that song. what a vocalist he is too.

Hey Faithrequired.


I think Faith is indeed required in learning something and doing 20 mins a day WILL make you better at it, but of course if put your “heart” in it and you really want to do it, application and concentration will help you focus.


Then you will probably go further than 20 mins a day. I play everyday until I get it right and it goes way beyond 20 mins a day because I get a bit obsessed with perfection sometimes (can't help it). I am learning “The Turkish March” at the moment by Mozart, but because I was classically trained when I was young, I remember the basics of it from early years but it was kinda sloppy as I didn't really like doing it as my piano teacher used to whack my fingers with a stick when I got it wrong - she was kind of harsh. Now I like doing it so it's easier but it does come back to you. Knowing chords is a good start (although boring).


Although everyone in this house is kinda sick of the “Turkish March”…..you hear echoes of “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY SOMETHING ELSE!!!!!” yelled out. I think they hate the “Turkish March” now as there is such a thing as overplay. They would rather I played “"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five” as the classical stuff can be a bit heavy all the time. I try to mix it up or I end up hating the song if I play it too much.

However a good tip is habit. If you get into the habit of something, it becomes a normal part of life. I set aside a certain time of day for practise, no disturbances and just get on with it. It gives you a sense of fulfilment and then you naturally get better at it. Or as my Dad used to stay “its alright once you get STARTED”.

My son, who is also a musician, thinks like you. He thinks you are born with a natural talent but who knows? I do know though that musical people tend to grow up with encouragement, musical instruments and the ability to “get on with it”. If you don't have any musical encouragement or any instruments then it's pretty hard.

After all, there could be lots of downhill ski champions in the making, but if they don't have any skis because they cannot afford them or do not have any snow around them, how would they be? I guess the ones that make it despite this are the real “overcomers”!

Good luck on perfecting the guitar - my son started off years ago with “Horse with no name” and needless to say we are all sick of that song too now! But he now does rumba and flamenco.

I feel like I'm your son now.
I would have liked more encouragement when I was younger as I did not grow up in a musical household. At 12 I was lucky that my brother decided to get guitar lessons and brought me along as well. I continued and he quit after 3 months. he (now aged 73) told me recently "I didn't like the teacher, that's why I quit." which was a shame. I plugged along strumming chords until college where I was again lucky to get some basic classic guitar training. This helped sight reading and learning finger patterns as well. I remember though there was a high school classmate that was sooooo much better than me. it really discouraged me. His mother was a piano teacher and his father a sax player. No wonder he ended up a music teacher himself. meanwhile I battled away. career got in the road a bit and I actually quit playing altogether for 20 years. then about 5 years ago bought a guitar again. With YouTube as the motivator I really got back into it. free lessons! My ear imporved out of sight as I started to cover basic songs quite easily. Right now I'm plateau-ing. I need to go the extra mile. I would almost rate myself intermediate fingerstyle guitar. But that is more ego than fact.
I love music anyway. and you just have to make the most of your circumstances...I guess

Well shoot... HeyJude beat me to it.

I was going to say confidence comes from practice, in just about everything - playing instruments, singing, tightrope walking, social conversation... and trusting God. I trust God a lot more now than I used to, because I have a lot more practice at it.

As the old Phil Driscoll song says:

"God I gotta tell you
That you're scaring me to death
You're asking me to do something
I'm not really sure I can
I'm trying to figure out your plan
But the pieces don't fit!
But I've been here before
Looking back, I must admit

That every time I say yes to you
Seems there's something wonderful
You're waiting to do
Every time I say yes to you
Seems there's so many trials
That you're pulling me through
Every time I say yes to you"

Moses suffered social anxiety. Yet he was able to achieve a lot .

I think what you are saying is you dont have a problem with confidence. I'm glad to hear that
but my advice to you is beware of the problem of overconfidence. It may not be a problem for you yet but it can creep up on you. Also overconfidence can alienate you from people who lack it. So in fact to truly connect with people, it is better to lack some confidence. No one likes arrogance.

You just keep on going with that MFR. Yes, it helps to have encouragement but there are plenty of examples of those who had none and still succeeded (whatever succeed means). John Lennon only had two strings on his ropy old guitar when he met Paul, but he didn't give up, nor did he have a musical family, just opportunity and a will to improve.

In fact, his other real talent was art. He was told he would never be any good at it at school and his famous quote said "Everyone's an artist until someone tells them they are not". Also there were kids like Mike Oldfield who played his guitar to forget his pain. I am always amazed at the street music these days (where its all at in Europe). Estas Tonne is astonishing and is a good example to those who think they cannot "make it" in the industry. Sometimes just sitting on a wall and playing makes the world a slightly better place for a few minutes. Keep on practicing everyday MFR and if you decide to do that, who is going to stop you? Because my son is also a carpenter as well, he finds the long fingernails rather annoying he needs to play, but they get harder and more resilient after a while. One of the reasons he played more, is because he worked in Europe with lots of people who didn't speak English - he didn't know what to say to them on lunch breaks etc, so he just got the guitar out. Its amazing how many people light up when you play a song they know, no matter what language they speak. Music brings people together.

Great lyrics Lynx. Sure I agree that confidence comes through practice. I think discipline comes through practice as well and habit. Tightrope walking though?....em, I reckon that is a good example of 100% confidence as they surely need pure blind faith to do that! What do you sing in the car by the way?

Often people get confidence instilled into them by having positive encouraging parents.. Now if you have negative denegrating parents then only God can help pull you up from that terrible start.. But the scriptures that declare that all things work for the good of those who love the LORD does ring true for believers who had a bad start in life and who lack self confidence because of it..

Often if people start thinking they are greater then they actually are they will tend not to be bothered with seeking the guidance and help of God.. While those who have low self confidence will.. Now low confidence ends up causing someone to seek God and come to salvation then having low self confidence can end up being the greatest Blessing indeed..

i think you've made a profound statement there Adstar. well done

with one reservation. low confidence might make them more vulnerable to cult like indoctrination.

Everything.

It's all christian, but everything from christian rap and christian hard rock to bluegrass gospel to black choir to christian jamaican (which is NOT reggae, there is a difference... but I have christian reggae too.)

1JOHN 2:28.
And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence,
and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
3:21.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
HEB. 3:6.
But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
ECC. 9:10.
Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge,
nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.