John Quincy Adams and the Magic to Make Difficulties Disappear

Tuesday Quotes are short explorations of music, life, and the daily endeavor of practicing classical guitar. Enjoy!

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”

John Quincy Adams

The challenges we face learning guitar can feel impossibly large. Like standing at the foot of the Hoover Dam, we may feel small and unequipped for the task ahead.

And it’s true: we usually cannot conquer such obstacles. Not directly anyway. Not all in one go.

But we can take the next small step in front of us. We can take the next micro-action that moves us ever-so-slightly forward.

Our job as musicians is to make these small advances, day after day. These small steps bring us ever-nearer to what once seemed like unrealistic goals.

Of course we would prefer to have it all and have it now. This is human nature. But through patience and perseverance, we move first past one obstacle then another.

From the outside, the finger and musical acrobatics we manage can appear as magic. But this is to those who see only the results of our work, and not the process.

Behind the scenes, it’s the simple act of showing up on a regular basis. It’s directing our attention and time toward the incremental improvements. One detail then the next.

And as process is all there is, we can embrace the daily routines. We can care less about “finishing” a piece of music, and more about the process of practicing the piece.

In time, the piece emerges. In time, the “difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish”. And we wake to find ourselves a little further down the path.