Photo from andreasvarady.com

This is Andreas Varady.

Andreas is 12-years old.

Andreas plays guitar.

Andreas plays guitar well.

Actually, Andreas plays guitar very well.

No, I don’t mean he plays very well for a 12-year-old kid. I mean he plays very well, period.

In fact, he plays better than 99% of every guitarist in the world, including me and including you.

I’m completely serious. Don’t believe me?

Watch this video. Twice.

I told you.

When I first saw this video (actually, after I watched it twice) the first thing that came to mind was, “I suck.” It was this kind of feeling that made me quit guitar many moons ago.

But you know what? Sucking at guitar – or at least my perception of sucking – is actually a good thing. I mean, I know I don’t really suck bad, but I’m certainly not nearly as good as this kid is, and I’ve been playing guitar for about 18 years longer than he has. But it’s cool. This is about me, not him. This is also about you, not him. This is about what guitar means to you, it’s not about being “the best.”

Why is the perception of sucking a good thing? Because it’s an opportunity to get inspired! It’s a signal that you love playing guitar and want to get better. It’s a sign that you have more to offer as a guitarist; there’s a vein of musical gold within you just waiting to be tapped into.

Someone like Andreas comes along maybe once in a generation. To say he’s merely a guitarist at this point would be a gross understatement; he is a prodigy for sure. You and I are not.

So what?

I’m completely inspired now. I had been floundering in my practice sessions as of late, not really feeling like I’m progressing. Because of Andreas (thanks, dude!) I have decided to completely revamp my practice goals and concentrate exclusively on a 6-9 month objective of learning more jazz standards and really nailing down some improvisation concepts that have been thus far rather elusive to me. Because of Andreas I was reminded of why I love to play guitar and that I can absolutely achieve my musical goals if I keep myself on the right path. I am in it for the long haul. I am in it to hang with the big boys, to play what I hear in my head, and to generally kick musical ass!

I am embracing the suck. You should, too.