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April 19, 2023

Today, we’re going to talk about the process of unearthing and cultivating our hidden talents – and spoiler alert – they don’t all have to do with the guitar, or even music.

 

I love adventure movies about archaeology.  I grew up watching “Indiana Jones,” and in recent years have enjoyed the “National Treasure” movies, and even the new-ish Tom Holland caper “Uncharted.” 

 

In the latter, when talking about the discovery of a priceless archaeological relic, one character says, “You never get used to that feeling.”  She’s talking about the exhilaration that comes with finding something beautiful that has been hidden away for a long time.

Nearly three decades ago, I had the unique experience of traveling to Central America with my father. 

 

With my command of the Spanish language, I was able to arrange multiple means of travel, from small aircraft to taxis. 

 

We decided to take a taxi day trip into Guatemala, because we wanted to experience the Mayan Ruins of Tikal.  Several of these structures had been carefully excavated by archaeologists.  They were incredibly majestic and built with a level of extreme precision by a civilization that was well ahead of its time.

 

One particular location that was quite breathtaking was La Plaza Mayor – the Great Plaza, where two towering temples were placed perfectly opposite each other. 

 

I decided to make the ascent of a huge staircase to the top of one of the temples.  The stairs were made of perfectly chiseled stone, and they were steep.  There were no handrails anywhere, the stairs were twenty feet wide or so, and there were almost 200 steps to the top of the temple, so the ascent was a little precarious.

 

When I got to the top, I could see straight across to the other temple, but when I looked the opposite direction, I could see several dozen structures peeking through the jungle canopy. 

 

I carefully made my way back down to the ground, and began to walk around some more. 

 

As I explored the area and walked a few miles, I would frequently walk past what seemed like a huge hill that did not seem in keeping with the flat topography around it. 

 

These large formations were completely overgrown with jungle vegetation.  Only when I stepped back to survey these “hills” did I realize what they were.  They were unexcavated Mayan ruins.

 

I overheard the conversation of a local touring group, and was fascinated to hear the guide say that the vast majority of the ruins in the area had not been excavated, due to the tremendous financial expense involved with unearthing them. 

 

So the ruins that I could see represented only a fraction of the ruins that were there.

 

You may have already grasped the parallel I’m about to draw with today’s episode.  We have talents.  Some of them are evident, especially because they’ve been cultivated to an extent.

 

But like the myriad of ruins in the Guatemalan jungle, there is always good work to be done, to excavate and to reveal what is there in our collection of hidden talents.

 

Musical Talents

Some of these talents may fall into the category of musical abilities, and even in terms of music, there are subsets. 

 

We may have a strong talent for rhythm.  I know people who don’t know the specific nomenclature associated with rhythmic analysis and counting, but who have tremendous groove intuition. 

 

We may have harmonic skills that show promise.  We may have a natural inclination towards vocal harmonies, or harmonies on an instrument.

 

With arguably the most important instrument we can develop (our ears) we may hear things in music that we can recognize and take to the next level, or we may have intuition towards imitating or even transcribing what we hear. 

 

We may have a knack for arranging or synthesizing something into another genre of music, such as taking a classic hymn and bringing it into a contemporary or folk style.

 

Our musicianship may be focused on the guitar, for which we may have a propensity for coaxing strong grooves and rhythms, or gentle, elegant fingerstylings.

 

Some of these gifts are ones we can be born with, or develop at an early age, but which we may still need to “unearth” and “cultivate” with the aid of someone who can graciously guide us.

 

The word “Education” is made up from the Latin root “educere.”  It actually means “to draw out” as with a talent or gift.

 

And when a gift is “drawn out,” it can be shaped into a skill.  And I believe a skill (especially a musical one) is something to be cultivated over the long game.

 

So, I’ll pause and ask the question – what are your musical gifts?  Have you discovered them yet? 

 

Perhaps you have self-awareness to know which aspects of music are intuitive and naturally a part of your giftings. 

Here’s the thing, though – a natural ability, when left completely alone without nurturing, is in some ways a missed opportunity.  Did you catch the words I used a moment ago? 

 

They were “cultivate” and “shaped.”

 

Think about a diamond in the rough.  If someone finds a diamond, but it does not get shaped, its beauty might not be fully experienced by others.

 

Imagine a wedding ring with an uncut, rough diamond mounted on it.  It would have inherent beauty, for sure, but from a practical standpoint, it might not stay in the prongs; there’s a chance it could fall out.  But more importantly, it would in some ways look “unfinished.”

Now, we are never finished.  The day we stop learning and growing is the day the Lord brings us home…even if we wind down our public musical offerings and “retire.”  I’ve met retired musicians who have played music all the way up until their last day on earth.

 

But I’ve also met musicians who lack the discipline to cultivate and unearth their talents, and who would rather rest on what their natural ability can provide.  This is unfortunate, but common.

 

Remember how I mentioned that the Mayan ruins were unearthed at considerable expense? 

 

Developing our musical talent could cost us money in the form of education, lessons, and study materials. 

I’m not sure how you’re choosing to learn the guitar, but there are many different ways to learn, from private lessons, to group classes, the occasional workshop at a conference, an instructional DVD, or an online experience.

Having gone through all of the above, I chose, in 2019, to launch GuitarSuccess4U, a one-of-a-kind learning experience for beginning and intermediate Christian guitarists. 

 

One of the main reasons I brought GuitarSuccess4U to life was because I didn’t see anything out there that offered what I knew was possible.

In a nutshell, it’s a self-paced experience that goes deep enough to help you understand the guitar from multiple angles, but also how to apply what you’re learning for practical use. 

 

It also includes expert interviews that go beyond just the study of the guitar, including health and posture, guitar repair and care, and how to listen closely.

 

I’d also say that it’s highly affordable.  It’s not the least expensive learning option out there, but it’s a fraction of the cost of private lessons of this caliber.

 

For those who want to learn “for free,” consider the hidden cost of having to sift through all the free online content that’s out there.  The hidden cost is: time.

 

And while it’s essential for us to invest time in unearthing and cultivating our talents, there can be a lot of wasted time spent looking for tips in some pretty confusing places.

 

It’s been my experience that people who want to learn to play the guitar aren’t just looking for information.  Information is just about everywhere.

 

What they’re looking for is organized information with application.  In other words, they need a clear path to success, with a curated collection of tools, and a process that guides them along and shows them how and why to use what they’re learning.

 

Ergo, I chose to create GuitarSuccess4U.  I invite you to join our online guitar community. This could change the game for you.

 

Whatever your musical talents may be, it’s my conviction that they need to be unearthed and cultivated in order for you to fulfill your potential.  Will you invest the resources and time to develop them?
 

What about Talents that Aren’t Musical?

There are many talents that I would say work hand-in-hand with our musical gifts, but that aren’t what I’d consider musical talents.

 

We may have a natural winsome charisma or stage presence which allows us to welcome an audience or a congregation of worshipers into an experience where they immediately let down their guard and enter in.

 

If you think this is something everyone has…I challenge you to think again. 

 

I’ve sat under the leadership of people where I’ve felt quite awkward as they’ve spoken from the platform.  They either don’t have the gift of being “up in front,” or if they do, they need to cultivate it. 

They might frown while they speak, or they might have a monotone cadence to their voice.  They might “um” and “uh” their way to communicating their thoughts.  They might look down at the floor because of some subconscious insecurity.

 

Confidence and stage presence are not guaranteed.  It’s likely that they can be “unearthed” or “cultivated,” but it may take time and guidance.  I’ve worked with musicians to coach them to be more confident, especially as they speak.

 

A healthy self-confidence can promote joy in those we share our music with, on and off the platform.

 

We may have an eye and ear for detail that is not limited to music, but influences how we lay out our equipment, connect the cabling, and position our instruments and accoutrements onstage.

 

This eye for detail may lead to a higher level of organization.  It may allow us to edit charts, lyric slides, or anything printed or digitally captured.  We need good editors, and not just to catch spelling errors, but also to re-shape words and phrases for better communication of thoughts or ideas.

 

We may have good verbal or even non-verbal communication skills that equip collaborators to reach deeper for their offerings.  Think about how important body language and facial expressions are for communication. 

I have worked with musicians who can communicate what they want from me in the moment simply by the way they look at me.  That’s a talent that not everyone has unearthed or cultivated.  I’ve seen the opposite: musicians who keep the same facial expression even when they could offer more communication.

 

These talents I’ve listed here don’t directly related to music, but they all intersect with our musical expression.

 

We may have many talents that are evident to others, but that we actually take for granted as something we just do.  Not everyone has every talent, and you may have unique gifts that others do not. 

 

But let me press you a bit, because if you’re experiencing these words, you’re still breathing.  And it’s likely that you still have your faculties enough to be able to play music on some level.

 

So, if that’s the case, you and I may still have some talents that remain to be discovered, at least in their full potential.  And if we are leaning into the discovery and cultivation of those talents, then that’s a beautiful thing.

 

There are different seasons of musical development, as I talked about in Guitar Through the Seasons, Part 1 (Episode 17) and Part 2 (Episode 18) of Guitar Serious Fun.  Under some circumstances, we need to rest and recharge, or focus our attention elsewhere, rather than developing our musical talents.  I definitely want to acknowledge that.

 

However, if we have the bandwidth to further cultivate our talents, and we’re not doing this…I’d like to challenge us to make some changes in the rhythms of our lives.  I’d like to exhort you to claim your talents, and to make some intentional efforts to develop them.

 

If you know, for example, that you’ve got a great way on stage, a solid command of your instrument, and a heart to serve with your gifts, keep going.  Keep learning, and keep growing.

 

Side note – if you don’t have a clear vision for what some of your talents are, I encourage you to ask people you trust.  Literally ask them, “What are some of the strengths you observe in me as I play the guitar?”

People whose opinions you can trust might help you hone in on what your deep areas of strength are.

 

Be open to their insights, though, because they may also tell you what they perceive to be an area that is not strong at all.  That’s actually a reason to rejoice, because we can’t all be really good at everything.

 

It’s important to focus on areas of skill, and not spend unnecessary time trying to get good at something we just don’t have the inherent abilities for.

 

Sure, we all need to be available to do what needs to be done, but I love watching someone walking in their giftedness…especially when they are working diligently to develop it.

 

So, may we feel the exhilaration that comes with taking our talents to the next level by unearthing them…but let’s not rest in that feeling, but rather take joy in cultivating our talents and stewarding our talents for God’s glory.

 

And let’s have serious fun as we do it, shall we?

 

Wrap-Up

Today we talked about our hidden talents, and how to unearth and cultivate them. 

 

Remember, your talents may be musical, non-musical, or both.  But lean in, and take some intentional time to discover what it is the Lord has blessed you with in terms of strengths.  Once you’ve got a better sense of those, I challenge you to develop them to the extent that time allows for.  There are people out there who need you to step forward with your gifts.

 

And if you don’t know what some of your gifts are, pray, seek counsel, and find out. 

 

And then let me know how I can serve you.  The best way I know how to equip guitarists as they cultivate their gifts for the glory of God is through this unique online guitar experience at GuitarSuccess4U.

I’m working to develop a presence on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook as well, where I can offer insights and helpful tips.  But the real feast is waiting inside GuitarSuccess4U, where I’ve literally spent thousands of hours creating that unique experience.

 

I look forward to seeing you inside the GuitarSuccess4u membership.