Bon idea Publishing

How do you define success for an artist and musician. First it is how good that individual is at his / her craft. How competent that individual is as a performer. How did that individual become good at what he does is down to this factor alone. First, he had to learn his / her craft. He had to wear his hat as a student, be attentive and methodical to learn the craft of how to play on an instrument, and what music he wants to emulate. He had to apply what he has learned to become competent. Clapton is an example of an artist who had approach music in a scholarly fashion. Not only he self-taught himself how to play guitar, but he learned day and night about the blues.  His head is a library of music. That is the first thing another individual will observe about him, his huge knowledge of music. He talks music nonsense when it comes to his art.

Many other artists earned their success solely on this ability to learn and be a student. These individuals even in their senior years are still learning and improving because they are fully committed to their art. There are zillions of things to learn as an artist or as student of life. Knowing everything there is to know could be just recognising that an individual has things yet to learn about his / her craft and life. Not wanting to learn is a barrier to learn.

Learning is an essential tool for success on any activity. The committed artist knows he is yet to master new skills and expand his knowledge further. It is indeed a joyful activity to learn more and new things. Knowledge of a skill is done by learning and applying that knowledge. I have seen many students coming to a class or seminars but never applying that they have just heard or learned. 

It is a fact that before the age of technologies where everything seems to be made easy and accessible for all, the budding artist must be first a student to develop any skills and talents he has. That’s where we find our most celebrated artists. They were first students and by applying that they have learned, they become competent, good at it, virtuoso and game changers.

Becoming a student is the first step to success.