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Testing , Questioning and Flexibility

Some might find this an extremely strange chapter to put on a “Method” or “Instructional” site, but I believe these concepts are critical to guitar playing and life in general.

When presented a piece of information or concept, test it, question it and be flexible if it doesn’t work.

An example:

You may find a guitar method book stating that you absolutely must use its picking method in order to achieve results. You adopt this method without testing it only to find out years later that this method does not enable you to play to the level that you are happy with! You adopted an approach without making sure that it is right for you and have now wasted a lot of time because you were not prepared to spend a little time examining and questioning.

This is a very vague example, but illustrates the point.

It does not matter who presents a concept to you. It does not matter how many people find it attractive or effective. We are all different and will find things that don’t work for us, but work beautifully for others. Learn the rules and what works in general, but always be prepared to change and improve, even if this means deviating from generally accepted techniques and methods.

Test, question and be flexible. Do not adopt limiting mindsets, do not adopt limiting techniques, do not adopt anything that is not properly tested for correctness for YOUR particular situation.

You can apply this to things you read, things you hear, even to your own interpretations of things you have experienced.

Test, question and be flexible.