What does it mean when someone says “it’s too hard”?
Does it mean that they expect whatever it is to be only easy, effortless or joyful?
Some people associate singing only with enjoyment. If they are amateur singers they might think of “singing songs” as something they like to do as a hobby. Particularly if the person has a lifelong dream of “learning to sing” the expectations about what that means can be full of anticipation.
If that is so, then taking singing lessons with a teacher of vocal function (technique) can be a daunting experience. Once the individual encounters the realities of training the voice and body to make singing all that it can be, it can demolish those long-held beliefs and cause a great letdown. Often, if this is the case, shortly after they begin, they quit. The reasons can be “I’m too busy now”, or “I really do need the money after all” or “I don’t have time to practice” or “I don’t like this teacher, she is too hard” or “this isn’t what I thought it would be”. Almost anything could be a reason to “wait a little longer” or just plain quit and never do it again.
People who are not involved with the arts (any of them) at a professional level do not realize that each is a discipline that requires time and devotion, sometimes for years, in order to see things come to fruition. If they look at the arts as “fun” they may not comprehend how much work is involved in getting to that desirable enjoyment.
Even those who are amateurs can be quite serious about their singing. They might have a career doing something else entirely but they still work on their vocal development diligently. For an amateur singer, however, to really take in the length and depth of vocal study required to gain mastery may not be easy. They may feel as if they do not have to work hard. They may be content to “learn a little” and be good enough to get by. In some ways, that is worse than not studying at all.
People who dabble at things do no harm as long as they don’t decide they should teach. There is no need ever for someone who is kinda sorta OK to teach anything. Of course, people like that teach every day and we can’t stop them.
It’s Worth Whatever It Takes and So Are You
So, if you discover that “it’s too hard” to pursue your dream of singing or anything else, I ask you to consider that decision. If you really want it, it’s worth doing whatever it takes to get it. If you don’t want to do whatever it takes, how worthwhile is whatever you substitute for it? After all, you are doing it for yourself. If you aren’t worth whatever it takes — then what? Everything in life that is worth having or accomplishing takes guts and grit to achieve. If it’s too hard to be really good at something you truly desire, you need to ask yourself why that would be the case.