How can I stay motivated and not be embarrassed to be learning something new?

[mister meaner]

title

 

[RollerGator]

If it's something you're truly passionate about it will come naturally over time.

 

[Tomboy Respecter]

Study for 30 minutes and take a break for 15 minutes. Do that for a total of 3 hours and if you want to study some more, first exercise and get some sunlight, eat properly and do it again in the evening, for an hour and a half. Also, unless you are looking at something that's absolutely degenerate, there's genuinely no reason to feel ashamed for learning something new, even if it has no use in your life. Learning is fun. If someone is shitting on you for learning, you can immediately disregard their opinion because they are a fucking idiot unironically.

 

[Spiny Rumples]

I tolerate the shame if it's something worthwhile or I'll study it without telling anyone.
For me, I feel like there's an expectation that I not suck at things, and that I progress fast, but really it's fine if I'm bad for the first few months as long as I make sure that I'm improving.
A supportive community would be cool too. As would finding ways to play around with it initially.

 

[Wintersun]

Social anxiety is just anxiety, it's a lie your body is telling itself. You being your own harshest critic is a tired platitude, but it's absolutely correct. Just imagine it like a very cold pool of water, dive in and acclimate before you give yourself an excuse to stop.

 

[Caesare]

Just don't give a fuck. Let people stare, make mistakes, screw up, but stick with it. It'll come and eventually you'll not only look like you know what you're doing, you'll actually know what the fuck you're doing.

 

[Shig O'nella]

The fuck you got to be embarrassed about?

You're learning something new and that is good, as the old expression goes "Stop learning, start dying."

 

[WhoBusTank69]

The most important part is being willing to learn. You need to know how something can be done improperly, you need to know the theory and the "why" behind doing it correctly. This is found through failure(within reason). You can learn from the failure of someone else, but it isn't quite as committed to your thoughts.

 

[Wuornos]

Don't bother. You all look like the descendants of Barney Rubble and have the intellectual capacity of an ape. It's nature's way of telling you that New Zealand is better.

 

[Idiotron]

I'm a dance teacher on the side so I get this from my students a lot.

People are terrified to just move around because it looks like they're having seizures for the first few months and it might get embarrassing.
What you have to remember that the people you get inspired by, the people you aspire to be, were once in the same exact position as you are right now.

This is what separates successful people from failures.
Failures will let public perception dissuade them from pursuing something they really want.
Successful people will suffer for a bit and then reap the benefits.
Nothing you love would exist if the creators of those things would be too embarrassed to learn how to make them.

 

[William]

I'm sure your saxophone career will take off, OP.

 

[Akashic Retard]

Why would you be embarrassed?

 

[mister meaner]

Thanks for the kind comments, I made this thread half sarcastically but this advice is genuinely helpful.

Why would you be embarrassed?

I am learning alto saxophone and so far my embouchure is horrible. A third of the time I play my notes comically go out of tune and it sounds horrible, but I'm making progress slowly.

 

[Akashic Retard]

Thanks for the kind comments, I made this thread half sarcastically but this advice is genuinely helpful.

I am learning alto saxophone and so far my embouchure is horrible. A third of the time I play my notes comically go out of tune and it sounds horrible, but I'm making progress slowly.

Other people's opinions are like Freddy Krueger, they can only hurt you if you believe in them.

 

[thyme]

When I was a kid, my friend's dad secretly bought DDR and practiced it alone for 1 month before giving it to his kids, just so he could beat them when they started playing.

Practice in secret and then pull a hustle when you reveal your PL

 

[blur]

Remember that everyone has day one.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Woodwind embouchure is a lot easier than brass, you'll get it. At least you don't have to change your mouth up much by comparison.

Anyway, music is a bitchin' hobby that no one can get to the bottom of. Stick with it. Practice the piss out of diatonic scales (esp. common major keys like G, C, and D) and pentatonic scales (esp. common minor keys like Em, Am and Bm). When your hands are fluid on these scales you can use them to start improvising; if you find a guitar player with the patience to lay down some chord progressions in a key you know, you can start cutting some leads over top of it. Boom, you're jamming.

 

[Epic Fail Man]

Whe would you be embarrassed, the moment you decide not to learn anything new is the moment you die.

 

[Sky King]

Hey man. When I come across such feelings, I always try to remind myself: No one is born with knowledge. I can sympathize with your post. Good luck with your music training

 

[Akashic Retard]

Compare yourself to yourself in the past, not to others. If you are better than your past you, then you're good. Unless it's someone worse than you, then you can compare yourself to them.