Energy Management and Guitar Playing

[hunter]

Allright dudes, I was on this executive course which was all about "manage your energy and you will be more successful and happy" which I was quite sceptical about but now I am completely overwhelmed.

Basically the course was about your ability to manage physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy in order to be more successful and powerful in what you do.

What can I say, it works!!! What sounds like some esoteric cr@p is actually great and simple to apply routines that make you fit, healthy, emotionally balanced and in line with your purpose and ideals. It's great.

And you know what? I am playing much more guitar, and i have the feeling I'm playing better (at least I feel better while playing) and still I am more successful in my job. Isn't that great?

Basically this is what the course was about:

1. PHYSICAL ENERGY
Ensure you eat healthy and do some sports so your physical foundation gives you a good basis to work on. I stopped smoking and started to exercise 30 min every day. I feel like a new man! What is very important: Recovery! Have a break every 2 hours no matter what you do and make sure you have the right food in the right doses to give you energy on a constant basis.

2. EMOTIONAL ENERGY
Be conscious when you drift into the area of negative emotions. Anger, cynicism, criticism are no good ... for nothing. Think positive and try to smile. For sure there are bad things happening, but limit your wining and grief to the moments that are really bad and don't be pissed off all the time.

3. MENTAL ENERGY
Do the things that are important not only the ones that are urgent (e.g. clean up your studio and rewire your rack) haha. Take your time for the important things. It might be an urgent desire to rock out. But maybe it's really important to work on your chord knowledge or phrasing

4. SPIRITUAL ENERGY
Do you spend the majority of your time with things that are fun and that you fundamentally want to do? Obviously not. At least make sure those things, that give you purpose, your family, friends, partner, music, whatever, have enough room in your live so you have purpose and don't fall into a trap of a mislead being

Long post, sorry, but I had to share it. I feel great and in balance with myself, and I am improving in all aspects. Wanna know about meditation techniques?

[Dakine]

Kinda goes against many many years of ROCK training though don't it :)


1.
I prefer, drinking profusely whilst smoking, trying to aim the empties into the bin.

2.
This is not allowed now :(, Go to the range and fire very high powered firearms at targets (that is if was not on 'job' and could use real moving ones ;).

3.
Make a mental note of beer/fags left to get the local lacky to get more whilst kicking path through empties on floor.

4.
Do all this with the missus 'on-standby' in corner of room, not only is she then prepared iffin you desire some desire but she also cannot complain she never she's you ;)































J.K. :)

[dave_mc]

don't put cr@p in your body, exercise (but don't overdo it), think positive thoughts, keep time for your family,  and do the important things.

that's surprising.

I'm not saying I actually do any of that, but if I were proactive and a go-getter, I guess that'd be what I'd try to do anyway, whether I went to that conference or not...

:lol:

[CaffeineJunkie]

i would do all that, but i lead a busy lifestyle and often don't have time to do stuff like clearin my room or something, as i'm working or studying etc. ... did quit smoking though, so i know how hard that is, so congrats on that, and on the rest :D:D

[Guitarzan]

I really enjoyed reading that post hunter!

Kinda makes you put things in perspective don't it? My friends going through a rough time and I think I'll share your thoughtful words with her and maybe she'll find it easier!

P.S. We DO want to know about meditation techniques! :D

[dave_mc]

i would do all that, but i lead a busy lifestyle and often don't have time to do stuff like clearin my room or something, as i'm working or studying etc. ... did quit smoking though, so i know how hard that is, so congrats on that, and on the rest :D:D

yeah, congrats on stopping smoking, that'd be pretty tough going, I guess (I say I guess because I've never smoked- one of the few things that's bad for your health that I don't do :lol: )

I don't follow those rules mainly because I'm lazy. :lol:

[FELINEGUITARS]

As far as the smoking goes
If you smoke 20 a day and buy from UK shops that's £5 per day
If may be 10 packs a week if you go out as you often offer friends a ciggie when you spark up
So that is £35-£50 per week = £140-£200 per month

So you can put a pair of BKPs in a guitar every month just by stopping smoking

OR £35-£50 per week = £1820 - £2600 per year
Which gets you a custom built guitar
or maybe even a custom built guitar and an amp!!

Or a full amp stack
Or a holiday somewhere nice
Or a car to put your axes/amp in and go to band practise
Or a high end Apple Mac computer

etc etc etc

[Kepu]

Feline pointed out the exact reasons I find smoking extremely stupid
oh, and plus the health problems


but anyways, pretty interesting reading Hunter!

[JamesHealey]

i havent smoked or gone out drinking heavily in 3 months.. feel 10x better for it

[hunter]

Thanks Feline, I smoked 20 years and my estimation is that I spent around 25,000€ / 30,000$ on cigarettes considering that they cost 1.50€ a pack of 20 when I started.

 That money would probably have given me a Pre-CBS Strat and a 60s Plexi, right?

[CaffeineJunkie]

OR £35-£50 per week = £1820 - £2600 per year
Which gets you a custom built guitar
or maybe even a custom built guitar and an amp!!

fecking hell, i smoked 10 a day for about 6 years, and i'm too scared to do the calculation, in case i have a nervous breakdown :? :D

[DeanS]

Not to make any excuses for not stopping smoking- as I'm trying again (its easy-I've done it loads of times!!) but I gave up for three years and didn't notice that my bank balance was any bigger.......... so before you do yer heads in its unlikely you would've put that money aside for that plexi, 59 paul,50's strat etc.- Alright its kind of an excuse... :P

[dave_mc]

As far as the smoking goes
If you smoke 20 a day and buy from UK shops that's £5 per day
If may be 10 packs a week if you go out as you often offer friends a ciggie when you spark up
So that is £35-£50 per week = £140-£200 per month

So you can put a pair of BKPs in a guitar every month just by stopping smoking

OR £35-£50 per week = £1820 - £2600 per year
Which gets you a custom built guitar
or maybe even a custom built guitar and an amp!!

Or a full amp stack
Or a holiday somewhere nice
Or a car to put your axes/amp in and go to band practise
Or a high end Apple Mac computer

etc etc etc

this sounds suspiciously like your advert in all the guitar mags!  :lol:

it's true though- if you haven't started smoking, don't start- you're basically starting a hobby which is like the equivalent of burning money.




Of course, guitar playing isn't expensive...  :lol:

[FELINEGUITARS]

As far as the smoking goes
If you smoke 20 a day and buy from UK shops that's £5 per day
If may be 10 packs a week if you go out as you often offer friends a ciggie when you spark up
So that is £35-£50 per week = £140-£200 per month

So you can put a pair of BKPs in a guitar every month just by stopping smoking

OR £35-£50 per week = £1820 - £2600 per year
Which gets you a custom built guitar
or maybe even a custom built guitar and an amp!!

Or a full amp stack
Or a holiday somewhere nice
Or a car to put your axes/amp in and go to band practise
Or a high end Apple Mac computer

etc etc etc

this sounds suspiciously like your advert in all the guitar mags!  :lol:

it's true though- if you haven't started smoking, don't start- you're basically starting a hobby which is like the equivalent of burning money.

Of course, guitar playing isn't expensive...  :lol:

I did run an advert with similar wording at new year a while back
As it was at new year when many would be looking to make resolutions, I thought to point out how much of a saving that they could make
It also served to put into perspective that one of our custom built axes would cost the same as their cancer inducing habit, and that it would be a perfect reward for kicking that habit to spend the money on a flash guitar

It proved not very popular as you shouldn't try to stop a guitarist from smoking, drinking or taking lots of drugs

But it is an issue that I have taken seriously at times:.
I have dealt with players who thought I was taking the piss when I suggested that they should change their strings every now and then.
They claimed that they could no way afford it , but I knew full well that they blew £30 per night in the pub on drinks, smoked like a trooper and wasted god only knows how much on dope or cocaine when the mood took them.

But as you so rightly said it is money up in smoke- personally I would rather buy guitars, pickups and amps

Or have a nice holiday with my girlfriend!!

 :twisted:

[dave_mc]

I did run an advert with similar wording at new year a while back
As it was at new year when many would be looking to make resolutions, I thought to point out how much of a saving that they could make
It also served to put into perspective that one of our custom built axes would cost the same as their cancer inducing habit, and that it would be a perfect reward for kicking that habit to spend the money on a flash guitar

It proved not very popular as you shouldn't try to stop a guitarist from smoking, drinking or taking lots of drugs

But it is an issue that I have taken seriously at times:.
I have dealt with players who thought I was taking the piss when I suggested that they should change their strings every now and then.
They claimed that they could no way afford it , but I knew full well that they blew £30 per night in the pub on drinks, smoked like a trooper and wasted god only knows how much on dope or cocaine when the mood took them.

But as you so rightly said it is money up in smoke- personally I would rather buy guitars, pickups and amps

Or have a nice holiday with my girlfriend!!

 :twisted:

haha, the bit in italics is awesome! :lol:

but yeah, I agree. but then I don't smoke or drink (much), so I guess I'm biased. I know it always annoyed me when friends said "how did you afford that? I'm off to the pub, better take £50, it's gonna be a long night..."

:lol:

I guess the answer is that everyone has their blind spots- I'm sure the guys who like to smoke are looking at us with all our amps and guitars and stuff, and saying stuff like

"man, what a waste, what did you need that amp for? I could have got 400 packets of fags for that!"

:lol:

:drink: