How to Achieve Your Guitar Goals Effortlessly

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How to Achieve Your Guitar Goals Effortlessly

by Adam Rafferty

Dear Guitarist,

I hope that you enjoy this e-book, and that it helps you along on your journey in music and life.

Growing up, my musical mentors taught me not only music, but also how to keep mentally and

spiritually fit, achieve goals and live happily as a human being.

It became a fascination of mine as to why some musicians achieved great careers, put out recordings,

toured, and even made a great income while others simply did nothing.

Often, the success had nothing to do with the level of musical talent they had.

This made me wonder - what do successful musicians and people think like?

And I dont only mean financial success...I consider success to be the accomplishment of what one

sets out to do.

What I offer you here is an essential tool that I myself have used to redesign and rebuild my entire life

over the last 10 years. Since goal setting has become part of my life, I have released CDs,

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instructional DVDs, downloads, played hundreds of concerts worldwide, and found the woman of my

dreams. Most importantly, I am happier than ever and I know I can accomplish anything I set out to do!

I am excited to pass this gift on to you. And, if you have any questions, or just want to say hello - dont

hesitate to contact me!

Sincerely,

[email protected]

http://adamrafferty.com

http://studywithadam.com

You may freely redistribute this e-book, but you must leave this PDF file exactly as is. You may not

change the contents in any way, or copy sections out of it for other uses.

Copyright 2015 Adam Rafferty and Crescent Ridge Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.

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If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires

your hopes. - Andrew Carnegie

The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and

never score. - Bill Copeland

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your

goals. - Henry David Thoreau

Give me a stock clerk with a goal and Ill give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no

goals and Ill give you a stock clerk. - J.C. Penney

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Table of Contents

Welcome to Study With Adam!! 6

Why Set Musical Goals?! 7

Goals Must be Specific, Measurable and Have a Deadline! 8

Setting a Musical Goal is No Different! 9

The Problem With Relying on Inspiration! 10

How Will You Use Study With Adam?! 11

The Conscious Mind! 12

The Subconscious Mind! 13

How To Program Your Subconscious Mind! 14

What Fires Together, Wires Together! 15

Present Tense Writing vs Future Writing! 16

Allow The Universe to Deliver, With Effortless Ease! 18

Daily Affirmations! 19

The Writing Technique to Achieve Goals! 20

In Conclusion...! 25

About the Author! 27

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Welcome to Study With Adam!

First off, YOU ROCK!

You have taken a huge leap forward towards improving your guitar playing and musical knowledge. I

salute you!

This book is designed to help get you on track as a Study With Adam member, but you may pass this

along to any friends you like.

As your guitar teacher, I want you to grow, achieve goals, learn new things and enjoy your journey...so

lets get started!

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Why Set Musical Goals?

By setting and achieving goals, you will feel like a winner. This is especially important to do when it

comes to your music and guitar playing.

People who fear failure usually avoid setting goals. That way, they never have a benchmark for finding

out whether they succeeded or failed at what they set out to do.

On the flip side, once you achieve a goal, you become addicted! It will become a healthy

addiction...after one goal is complete, you will want to achieve the next goal, and then the next.

Its an upward cycle of win after win.

With just one successful achievement, youll know you can do it and you eagerly dive into the next

project.

Its exhilarating!

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Goals Must be Specific, Measurable and Have a Deadline

Achievements dont happen by accident or by vague ideas. They happen through being specific,

measurable and by setting a deadline. For example:

Vague: I am hungry and need to eat lunch.Specific, Measurable and Timed: I am hungry. I am in the mood for pizza and want to spend less than $10 and I need to be back at work by 2pm.

Clearly, the second more specific goal of eating lunch will lead you to the solution and achievement

of the goal.

Goal is Achieved in the Minds Eye: Hey, I can go to Joes Pizza. They have an affordable lunch special, and they are quick...If I get there a at 1pm, Ill be back to work on time.

This is a perfect example of how goals are visualized, achieved in the minds eye, and lastly - manifested

in the outer world. Powerful stuff, eh?

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Setting a Musical Goal is No Different

Musical goals are no different. You will have to set a measurable goal with a specific deadline - just like a sharp shooter aiming at a target. If you dont, you will just float and find yourself not having

achieved very much after a few months.

With the technique you are about to learn, you will activate your automatic goal seeking mechanism.

What will amaze you is that by using this technique all your goals will be achieved, with far less effort

than you think.

I have used it countless times myself, and it works.

This will get your guitar playing and practicing on track and within a few months you should see

progress and improvement in ways that you never dreamed possible!

And of course...you can also use these goal setting techniques for any area in life!

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The Problem With Relying on Inspiration

Inspiration is beautiful when you feel it, but it wont get you through the long haul of learning a piece or

accomplishing a musical project.

Feelings can be as random as the weather. A sunny springtime day is wonderful, but you still gotta

carry on with life, no matter what the weather forecast is.

In the same way, you must be able to carry on with a musical goal when its not feeling sunny and

inspired. This ability separates the winners from the losers. Harsh, but true.

At some point, the music work you put in (on a new guitar arrangement, for example) may start to feel

repetitive, tedious, and no longer new and exciting.

The burst of inspiration you initially felt at the onset of the project may have worn off.

Dont worry though - I will show you how to outsmart this feeling shift so that you are guaranteed to

continually and consistently improve at guitar.

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How Will You Use Study With Adam?

So...lets say youve joined Study With Adam, logged in, and seen some of the video guitar lessons

and...

You snag a lick here and there and its neat!

You float, surf, browse videos...cool!

You chat with other members! Cool guys and gals!

You imagine what it will be like to play the tunes...

For these 4 points - all you need is inspiration...

But lets fast forward...a few months go by and then you ask yourself:

Has my guitar playing improved?

Can I play a new piece?

Did I upload videos to Adam for review?

Have I consistently practiced guitar, on a schedule?

If you want to answer YES to these last 4 questions, then keep reading...


The Conscious Mind

Using your conscious mind to set and achieve goals requires effort, willpower and discipline. Most

people think that this is how you achieve goals - but I have a secret for you:

Using willpower is the hard and practically impossible way to accomplish things.

Did you know that 99% of New Years resolutions dont work?

Every December 31st, people say next year I will lose 20 lb or stop smoking but it never happens.

Why is that?

Even people with the best intentions often fail at what they set out to do, because they are giving the

assignment to the wrong part of their mind.

To get the results you want, you must learn to use your subconscious mind.


The Subconscious Mind

Just the same way a thermostat that regulates room temperature, ones subconscious mind regulates

and guides ones life - much more than the conscious mind does.

The subconscious mind runs 24 hours a day, in the background, making sure that what it thinks is true

is found and created in the outer world.

If you program the subconscious part of your mind for achieving your goals, its much easier.

In fact, its effortless and requires no willpower at all.

Its the perfect employee - it asks no questions and does not fight back...it just follows orders!

All you have to do is install the right beliefs into the subconscious mind...and thats what I will now show

you how to do.


How To Program Your Subconscious Mind

By doing the writing technique I will show you, your goal will achieve itself without YOU using any

willpower or effort.

You may think this sounds silly, but it works.

Its a heavyweight technique that I myself have used to launch my touring career, CDs, DVDs,

websites, relationships, income...you name it!

You cant just read along and nod your head though, you have to DO the exercise with pen and paper

for it to work.

This is not an exercise based on hope or some flaky new-age idea.

You will simply be using the wonderful tools you currently have to do the heavy lifting, without you

even trying.


What Fires Together, Wires Together

Writing goals is the best way I know to hard wire the subconscious mind, and heres why.

By writing, you use 3 modalities of your body and mind at the same time:

Eyes (you will be reading what you write)

Ears (when you write, its as if you are talking to yourself)

Touch (the pen and paper)

By having eyes, ears and touch fire together, you drive the message down into your subconscious

mind where they wire together.

The subconscious mind will not argue, it will believe these facts as true.

(I actually re-write my 6-10 main life goals every morning, which is highly recommended, but for now

lets just complete the goal sheet below once, to plant the seed in your mind.)


Present Tense Writing vs Future Writing

In some of the statements below, you will write your future achievements in the present tense, as if they

are already accomplished.

The reason is this - if you write that it will happen sometime in the future, then that day will never

arrive and you are keeping your goal away from your ever present NOW moment. You would be like

like a donkey with a carrot on a stick. The donkey never gets the carrot, because its always in the

future and therefore, out of reach.

And in case you are thinking, but I cant write something when I know its not true!

Yes you can, so just dont worry about it. The conflict between what you write in the goal statement and what you see in your current reality is called cognitive dissonance.

Your conscious mind will kick and scream, so dont worry about that!

Your subconscious will look for the answer - and thats what counts!


Just think...The Empire State Building was an idea before it was built...it was a thought that became

a thing. Think about that...thoughts become things!

With that in mind, you will write goals as if they are already achieved, in the present tense. You will also

express your joy and gratitude in order to weave them in with an emotion. This will help drive it down

deep into your subconscious mind.

Lets look at some examples.

Version 1I want to get better at guitar. (not great, no specificity or present moment - too vague.)

Version 2One day I will play In My Life by the Beatles on guitar. (specific in terms of the what, but not good

because of future orientation)

Version 3I am now playing In My Life by the Beatles on my guitar with effortless ease, and loving every minute

of it! (Excellent - these words express a present tense feeling! The goal then seems a tad closer...)


Allow The Universe to Deliver, With Effortless Ease

Once you write your goals, and complete the goal statement with it is done (this is very heavyweight!) the goal will complete itself. This last step is critical.

It is done is your link between the place where you already have the picture inside you, and the future place that it will become visible to others. In fact, the meaning of Amen at the end of a prayer is very similar to it is done.

After completing the written exercises, set the sheet aside somewhere, maybe in a special magic box

dedicated to your future goals.

When you come back to the sheet at a later date, you may find that you achieved the goal with no

effort at all, or that somehow it just happened without you even thinking about it!

I have many examples in my life where I have used this exercise and an achievement happened by

itself as if by magic!


Daily Affirmations

Its great to set a goal and plant it like a seed in your mind - which is what we will do with the upcoming

exercise.

But, there is another exercise you should know about - you can do it daily as reinforcement and I

highly recommend it - daily affirmations.

Review and refresh by re-writing your 6-10 main goals, every day as affirmations. Its like training a muscle!

This takes less than 5 minutes, and I usually do it when I drink a cup of coffee in the morning.

A great benefit of reviewing goals daily is that all your little daily thoughts and activities tend to

become oriented to support and accomplish the bigger goals.


The Writing Technique to Achieve Goals

Now its time for you to take action. Grab a pen or pencil, and get ready to write.

Step 1 - Pick 3 Songs

Pick 3 songs youd like to learn for fingerstyle guitar. The sky is the limit.

Anything goes ..here is where you dream and shoot for the stars!

Song #1 _______________________________________

Song #2 _______________________________________

Song #3 _______________________________________


Step 2 - Narrow it down to one song

Next, you will pick one of these 3. Pick the one that turns you on the most that you will work on first,

and write it in the space below.

I am now committing to work on __________________________________ as my next musical project.

Even if you are tossing around a few possibilities, dont get stuck here.

Just make a decision and move ahead, because without being specific, you will just float.

Step 3 - Pick a Due Date

Pick an exact date that youd like to be able to play this by, but it must be at LEAST 45 days from today,

not earlier.

For example you can set the date 6 months, 12 months ahead, but you must specify an exact date.


The song need not be perfect in that time either - you just want to have a good grasp on it by that

time. If all you can play is the first 2 notes, thats also ok!

Day _________ Month________________ Year _________

Now, write an entry in your calendar on that day I can play (song) on guitar with effortless ease!

It does not have to be perfect by that date, so dont freak yourself out with pressure, it just needs to be

started and an active project.

Remember, you are giving your subconscious mind a command with this exercise, so dont listen to

to the part of your mind that saying you cant do it. Thats the cognitive dissonance, so dont worry

about it.

I can see you now. You are not writing it in your calendar. You are nodding your head, saying yeah

whatever, Ill do it.

I command you - get up from your chair NOW and WRITE IT IN YOUR CALENDAR.


Step 4 - Write the Goal as an Affirmation

Re-write the following sentences as an affirmation on a piece of paper - with a pen or pencil (no

computers allowed!). Speak to yourself as you write.

Today, I can sit down with my guitar and play a lovely

solo guitar version of (fill in song title) with effortless

ease and joy. I am so thankful to have received this

musical gift.

(fill in song title) seemed to find its way on my guitar as

if by magic. I look forward to spreading joy to others

hearts by playing it for them.

Thank You.

It is done.


Step 5 - Your Work is Done, Now Allow it To Happen

Look at the word allow. I didnt say force it to happen I said allow it to happen.

You are allowing your subconscious to guide you and do the heavy lifting, so you dont need to

consciously control it.

Enjoy the delicious unfoldment of the seed you have planted in your mind. Its amazing to watch this

process, and to know yourself as a powerful creator.


In Conclusion...

I cant wait to hear about the exciting results, your amazing journey, and of course your music and

progress as a guitarist.

You will see that you can apply guitar to life, and life to guitar.

For example...

The guitar has taught me to keep at it, and keep going when I encounter hardships.

The guitar has taught me that one day can be easy and the next can be difficult, and thats ok.

The guitar has shown me that life always becomes new again.

The guitar has been like a mirror and reflected my thoughts and ideas.

The guitar has shown me that I can do anything I put my mind to.

The guitar has taught me that by the yard its hard, but by the inch its a cinch!

The guitar has shown me that results dont come immediately.

The guitar has helped me spread love and joy to people that I had no idea I could reach.


Enjoy the never ending journey of fingerstyle guitar!

Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. ROCK ON!

Your Friend and Guitar Teacher,

[email protected]

http://adamrafferty.com

http://studywithadam.com


About the Author

Adam Rafferty is an internationally touring solo fingerstyle guitarist with over 12 million YouTube views.

He is best known for his "funky fingerstyle guitar" versions of songs by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson

and The Beatles.

He is also the first guitarist to use human beatbox (hip-hop mouth percussion) with contrapuntal

fingerstyle guitar arrangements, truly achieving the sound of a full band with one guitar.

Adam has produced 5 guitar instructional DVD's, 8 CD's, 2 Jazz Guitar books and played hundreds of

international guitar festivals, concerts and has taught workshops in Europe, Asia, Russia and the USA.

His CD "I Remember Michael - A Michael Jackson Solo Guitar Tribute" was voted as one of the Top 10

Best CDs of 2011 by Jazziz" magazine.

Learn more about Adam and get free lessons, videos and sheet music at adamrafferty.com and

studywithadam.com.


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How to Achieve Your Guitar Goals Effortlessly