Learn by Doing

I can remember in my basement room 14 years ago holding my “new to me” black and red, little Sigma guitar. I distinctly recall having the craving to rip out an emotional rendition of “Only in Dreams” but reality was I didn’t have a clue how to play. I began the arduous journey of learning Nirvana power chords; I was spending 10 hours some days sitting there playing “Come as You Are” over and over again. Pretty soon, after a few months of feeling rhythmic and memorizing finger placement I was a rock star. Not really, but I really loved to play. A few months after picking up my black beauty I began to start experimenting with my own songs and herein began a passion.

Now, I didn’t have YouTube (yet to be created) but I did have Dean O Raja, a friend who was always one step ahead on the guitar. He was able to teach me new tricks and songs. Learning by whatever means without doing is learning the WHAT. In this example the WHAT is playing guitar. It was not until I learned the HOW, by DOING. You see listening and doing are connected, sure but not until I started PRACTICING the WHAT did I learn how to play! What to do and how to do it are two different kinds of knowledge and it's tough telling them apart at times.

WHAT TO DO is considered something you may have intellectual knowledge about.

HOW TO DO IT = Instinct or maybe even habit.

When learning how to play guitar my instructions by Death Master Dean were informative and helpful. However, not until I started practicing did my knowledge turn to skill and the excitement of progress started to create a true conversion and instinct. Using the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.”

Making a powerful statement and one in which I sincerely believe in I implore your serious contemplation in this eternal truth: our purpose is to learn by doing. Learn humility by being humble. Learn patience by practicing patience. Learn love by loving.