How to Stay Motivated When Learning Guitar: Tips & Real Stories.
Learning guitar isn’t just a physical skill it’s an emotional journey even more its a life style. Some days you feel unstoppable… and other days, even picking up the guitar feels hard. We all go through periods like this for sure and for many different reasons.
Motivation naturally rises and falls, but the key is knowing how to stay on track when the excitement fades. The joy of playing can get lost in life’s challenges with school, work and family life but there’s a path back!
Today, we’re diving into practical motivation strategies, psychology-backed tips, and real stories from guitar learners who pushed through the tough spots.
1. Understand That Motivation Comes in Waves
Every guitarist, even professionals experiences motivation dips. Personally I feel inspired writing this as I have been in a guitar slum for some time! I hope in writing this and diving back into music that I too can be back riffing and soloing with the passion of old!
Why this matters:
Guitar isn’t a linear skill. You’ll hit plateaus, “slow weeks,” and phases where the guitar feels foreign again. Knowing this is normal reduces self-pressure. Inspiration for me comes from listening to music more than anything else!
I’ve been personally stuck listening to a playlist that has got boring! Its a USB with my music collection on it and I have been listening to the same stuff for too long!
I just started using Spotify to expand my listening passion and I’m already finding the smile on my face when heading out in the car returning and the desire also returning!
Quick mindset reset:
- Stop expecting constant progress.
- Track small wins, not perfection.
- Accept bad days as part of the process.
- Put the guitar down for a bit and listen to your favourite music and want to play it!
- If you have guitaring friends then its time to take your AXE and go play with them.
2. Build a Practice Routine That Works With Your Life.
Motivation fails when the routine is too ambitious. You don’t need to be your guitaring hero in days or months! They have been playing for years and that’s why they make it look easy! One of the traits of great players is that they make phrases etc sound complicated when they are actually very simple but played well.
Instead of:
❌ “I’ll practice one hour every day.” Play when your inspired to do so. You can help by doing whatever normally gets you in that want to play mood! Watch some great bands on a streaming platform, search for new artists and get inspired! Listen to your favourite bands and imagine your there playing on stage! Be in the moment!
Try:
✅ “I’ll play 10–15 minutes on weekdays and longer on weekends.”
Why this works:
We’re more consistent when the entry point feels small and achievable. Its about just doing it in the end! Don’t over expect and under deliver. Find a song, riff or solo and go slowly till your comfortable.
If you can sing the song, solo or riff then its likely your familiar with it to get it sounding good.
Pro Tip:
Use the 2-Minute Rule – if motivation is 0/10, just strum for 2 minutes. Momentum usually kicks in.
3. Set Goals That Actually Mean Something
Many beginners set vague goals:
❌ “Get better at guitar.”
❌ “Learn lots of songs.”
Instead, use specific and emotionally meaningful goals:
Examples:
- “Play ‘Wish You Were Here’ smoothly for my partner.”
- “Learn barre chords so I can play rock songs I love.”
- “Be confident enough to join a local jam session.”
Attach emotional value → motivation rises. This is a powerful driver for many to get through and play!
4. Celebrate Micro-Wins.
Progress is hiding in places you forget to notice. It doesn’t have to be a massive song played in full, just getting through the Verse cleanly is a great start. When the strumming and chords are a clean transition dive into the chorus and repeat. Soon you’ll have the basic song down and that’s a win!
Micro-wins to look for:
- Clean chord changes
- Less finger pain than last week
- Playing your first full song
- Figuring out a strumming pattern
- Hearing yourself improve on a recording
These matter way more than big milestones.
5. Use Variety: Mix Fun With Skill-Building
A common motivation killer is practicing only technical drills.
Try balancing:
- 40% Skill: scales, chords, finger exercises
- 40% Fun: songs you love
- 20% Play: improvising, noodling, experimenting
This variety keeps practice fresh and emotionally rewarding. This offers a structure that helps so much more than sitting down and not having a plan!
Running through he minor pentatonic is a great start to loosen up both your picking and fretting hand. They need to work in unison to be really effective. Warms you up and then away you go!
6. Learn From the Stories of Other Guitarists.
Real Story #1 – The “15-Minute Night Player”.
James, a 42-year-old beginner, nearly quit after two months. His schedule was packed, and he felt guilty for not practicing “enough.”
Then he changed one thing:
👉 He practiced 15 minutes before bed every night.
“Fifteen minutes felt doable. A year later, I realized I’d accidentally built a daily habit.”
Result: He now plays full acoustic sets at local open mics.
Real Story #2 – The Parent Who Only Practiced on Weekends.
Sophie, a mother of two, lost motivation because weekdays were impossible.
She switched to a Friday–Sunday routine only.
“I dropped the guilt and focused on quality over quantity. That saved my guitar journey.”
Result: She recorded her first cover on YouTube and got 2,400 views in a week.
Real Story #3 – The Retired Beginner Who Hit a Plateau.
Mark, 67, struggled with barre chords for months and almost gave up.
His breakthrough:
👉 He recorded his playing once a week.
“When I listened back, I realized I was improving just slowly.”
Result: He can now play his favourite blues progressions smoothly.
Real Story #4 – I learnt Chords but never a Song Until!
Brendon, 63, struggled with playing a full song but met some like minded beginners and they formed a band! Played for 4 years and became the lead guitarist playing Sweet Child of Mine & Hotel California Solos and more.
His breakthrough:
👉 He met some passionate new musicians that inspired him to the next step.
“The passion to learn came with passionate friends. He learnt and played beyond anything he ever dreamed.”
Result: He can now play his favourite songs & solos over blues/rock progressions smoothly in any key.
(This is my story).
7. Surround Yourself With Inspiration.
Motivation amplifies when it’s in your environment.
Try:
- Keeping your guitar visible, not in its case
- Decorating your space with band posters or records
- Following guitarists you love on social platforms
- Joining an online guitar community
- Watching concert clips before practice
When guitar feels part of your world, practice feels natural and like minded friends make it fun.
8. Track Your Journey (It’s More Inspiring Than You Think).
People underestimate how much motivation comes from seeing progress.
Easy ways to track:
- Weekly recordings
- A simple practice journal
- Marking learned songs on a list
- Taking monthly progress videos
Looking back at Day 1 is incredibly motivating.
9. Reconnect With Your “Why”.
Whenever motivation drops, ask:
“Why did I pick up the guitar in the first place?”
Your “why” is the fuel that keeps you going.
Common whys:
- Music is emotional therapy
- A dream of playing your favourite songs
- Bonding with family by playing together
- Creating, expressing, releasing emotions
- Wanting a lifelong hobby
Keep that reason visible.
10. Final Thought: You Don’t Need to Be Perfect – You Just Need to Keep Going.
Every great guitarist you admire struggled, plateaued, felt stuck, or wanted to quit at some point.
What separates players who succeed from those who stop?
Not talent.
Not speed.
Not theory knowledge.
Consistency. Even imperfect consistency.
Small steps over time lead to big breakthroughs. Keep going — future you will be so glad that you did.
In Retrospect
Playing a guitar is an incredibly enjoyable pastime. It is most often more fun with a group of other musicians. The most fun I’ve had in years is teaching a young man the scales and how to solo. I miss this now he’s too busy working and cannot come. He sends me clips of his playing with school friends on occasion. Its great to see his progress.
The Author.
Brendon McAliece is a multi lingual expatriate Australian living in Thailand who speaks Thai, a number of its dialects and Lao. He has been playing guitar since he was 12 and continues to do so to this day.
He has performing in bands across the Middle East while contracting as a Aircraft Weapons Instructor with his 10 years of RAAF Armament Fitter experience and his maintained his love for playing guitar it continues to thrive today.
Also Visit:
DreamingGuitar.com – DreamingCoffee.com – LetsFlyVFR.com
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn on qualifying sales.
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