What does it mean when someone says âitâs too hardâ?
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 âsinging songsâ as something they like to do as a hobby. Particularly if the person has a lifelong dream of âlearning to singâ 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 âIâm too busy nowâ, or âI really do need the money after allâ or âI donât have time to practiceâ or âI donât like this teacher, she is too hardâ or âthis isnât what I thought it would beâ. Almost anything could be a reason to âwait a little longerâ 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 âfunâ 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 âlearn a littleâ 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 donât 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 canât stop them.
Itâs Worth Whatever It Takes and So Are You
So, if you discover that âitâs too hardâ to pursue your dream of singing or anything else, I ask you to consider that decision. If you really want it, itâs worth doing whatever it takes to get it. If you donât want to do whatever it takes, how worthwhile is whatever you substitute for it? After all, you are doing it for yourself. If you arenât worth whatever it takes â then what? Everything in life that is worth having or accomplishing takes guts and grit to achieve. If itâs too hard to be really good at something you truly desire, you need to ask yourself why that would be the case.