Shop Less. Live More.

Where would you be if you got everything you want?

Last week I was in a music store in Ottawa. The guy I dealt with was the owner's son (maybe a co-owner?) I was looking to expand my guitar rig and had some questions about a few different pedals and effects. He was very friendly and laid back and answered my questions with interest - - turns out he's a guitarist himself. As we talked he told me about his own experience with various pieces of gear and stuff that he has in his own rig. Very helpful.

Music stores are basically candy stores for guitarists. Right now, I have a limited budget for analog delays, envelope filters, and class A amps. But this guy, this fortunate son, has access to all the tone and effect goodies he wants. If I put myself in his shoes, and if we go back to the candy store analogy - I would very quickly become a guitar gear diabetic.

That makes me ask the question, where would I be if I got everything I want? Gear wise I would have some really sweet guitars, a ridiculous number of pedals on the floor, a rack that could control the earth's rotation, and an asinine number of amps behind me. My tone would be good - but I would be no further ahead musically. And that's what really counts. Where would I be as a guitarist if I got everything I want? In the same place I was before.

Nobody gets everything they want (right?) - but let's think hypothetically. Where would you be if you got everything you want? Probably in the same place you were before. Except you'd be more disillusioned and depressed at all the time and energy you spent going nowhere.

And if we go back to the guitar illustration for a hint - maybe the key to living well by focusing on being vs. getting or any other "ing" is . . . discipline.