What a Busker Taught Me About Playing the Long Game in My Creative Journey

I have to admit, that in the beginning of my musical journey, I was a bit like someone desperate to reach their ideal weight through a series of unsustainable crash diets. Especially in the first year of picking up the guitar, I would throw myself intensely into hours of practice with big ambitions – only to burn out, lose momentum, and have to start over again. Each time I returned, I felt a little more disheartened than before, frustrated that I couldn’t keep up with the impossible standards I’d set for myself. This made it even harder to restart, as I had the feeling that I had already failed in the past before. I was a yo-yo diet musician.

Learning an instrument or honing any creative skill is a journey that often feels like a long and winding road. In those beginner and intermediate phases, it’s essential to cultivate a mindset of patience, to recognize that meaningful growth doesn’t happen overnight.

But this patience isn’t easy, especially when we first start out. We often want to master everything right away – or at least I did! A part of me believed that if I just pushed through, I could fast-track my way to an intermediate skill level. I even put my faith in the well-known “10,000-hour rule,” which proposes that talent isn’t the main determinant of success – rather, it’s the consistent, intentional hours spent practicing. Popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, this theory asserts that achieving mastery in any field requires roughly 10,000 hours of practice, emphasizing dedication over innate skill. This idea of hard work over natural talent seemed perfect to (a personality like) me.

NATE & HANLAN HONEYWELL - BUSKING BROTHERS

For nearly a decade, the brothers have traveled the world as buskers, sharing their love for life and music. Meeting them marked a pivotal moment in my own creative journey.

Yo-Yo Dieting in the World of Music

So, I did the math: if I could practice for two hours every day, I thought, I’d be well on my way to leaving the “beginner” phase behind within a year. My housemate at the time, a music student on the clarinet, regularly practiced four to five hours a day. Compared to that, my two hours seemed doable – or so I thought.

What I didn’t realize was that this high-pressure approach would lead to burnout. My “all or nothing” approach soon led to breaks in my practice, followed by attempts to compensate by playing for hours on end. It felt like a cycle of overcommitment and burnout – a bit like “yo-yo dieting” in the world of music. Eventually, I had to face the reality that my journey would likely take more than just a year or two. To achieve the level of musicianship I aspired to, I would need to think long-term: five years, ten years, maybe even a lifetime. How humbling! How much more respect I instantly developed for all musicians committed to this path!

At the same time, I felt a bit discouraged, realizing that my usual approach – immersing myself intensely to achieve a goal quickly – wasn’t going to work here. Fortunately, it was around this time that I discovered two artists who had fully embraced the long game, each teaching me valuable lessons on cultivating patience and steady progress.

Amie McNee: Zooming Out on the Creative Journey

The first was author and creativity coach Amie McNee. She appeared on my Instagram feed one day, thanks to the algorithm, and her message was exactly what I needed to hear. Amie calls this approach “zooming out.” Instead of fixating on every twist and turn in our journey, she encourages artists to take a step back and view their creative path like a map, gaining a broader perspective. On her Instagram page, @inspiredtowrite, Amie shares insights into resilience, purpose, and self-compassion, empowering artists to embrace each part of the journey and find joy in the process.

For me, “zooming out” helped me see the bigger picture of my musical journey. This concept, reinforced through a chance encounter with a busker, reminded me that progress doesn’t need to be immediate or linear – sometimes, it’s the small, steady steps that lead us to incredible places.

Let me take you back to the moment when I first realized just how valuable “zooming out” could be.

“HANLAN FROM CANADA” IN MY HOMETOWN

I met Hanlan back in 2020 in my hometown. He was playing a set on the streets of Freiburg when I passed by and asked if we could chat about music. We ended up hanging out for the next 48 hours, before he continued on to Paris.

Flashback to 2020: The Busker and a Big Dream

In early 2020, I was living in Freiburg, Germany, just beginning to toy with the idea of playing music seriously. One chilly January day, I was wandering through town when I heard some sweet streetside country music from around the corner. Following the sound, I found a tall, blonde guy, wearing black army boots and a flannel shirt, confidently strumming and singing. His sign read: “Hanlan from Canada.” And as I walked past, he threw me the friendliest smile.

“Ohhhh, that must be the guy,” I thought, remembering my flatmates’ story. They had spotted him the week before, and at dinner, they’d told me, “Sarah, we saw this busker from Canada. You have to meet him. He seems super cool, and for sure it would be fun for you to chat with him about music.”

So I gathered my courage … and then promptly chickened out, hiding behind a pillar. How was I supposed to approach this bluesy, world-traveling busker? Instead, I scribbled out a note: “Hey, I really like your music, and you seem like a fun person. Ring me up if you ever want to grab some coffee.” It only took about 17 minutes to write this simple message (because obviously, it had to be perfect, right?). By the time I was ready, Hanlan was already packing up, but I managed to hand him the note.

We ended up spending the afternoon in a sunny park, chatting about music, travel, and what it was like to live a free life as a nomadic musician. In the next 48 hours that we spent together, before he took a bus to his next destination – Paris – I felt like the main character in some Netflix show, going on this wild adventure in my own city. Hanlan introduced me to the world of busking and we shared meals through “dumpster diving”. I was hooked.

I knew that I didn’t just want to think about becoming a musician. I wanted to make it my life and, maybe, one day travel with my guitar as well. Six months later, in the middle of the pandemic, I sold my things, left my job, and hit the road. There was no stopping me – I’d been captivated by the freedom, the music, and the unknown. I knew there would be a way.

VISITING HANLAN IN LEIPZIG

I met Hanlan in the early days of my creative journey, at a time when I couldn’t have imagined living full-time from my music. His lifestyle and approach left a lasting influence on me, opening my eyes to new possibilities.

The Wisdom of Embracing the Long Game: 2 - 5 - 10 years

During our conversation that weekend, I confided to Hanlan that I was still fumbling with basic chord transitions and couldn’t play bar chords to save my life. His advice has stayed with me to this day. He told me:

“Every musician, for the first 2 years, feels like they totally suck, and it’s just not getting any better.

Then after hitting the 2 year mark, suddenly musicians achieve a level of competency that gives them confidence and hope. Their music becomes a lot more steady and reliable - yet still not refined.

At 5 years, they’ve refined their music enough that it sounds impressive to others, though the musician now starts to notice their own flaws. But by that time, they have the knowledge and experience to fill those gaps.

And by 10 years, their music soars, and they’re masters of their craft.”

This advice was like a gift. To hear from someone as skilled as Hanlan that those first couple of years would just suck was immensely comforting. And it’s true – after roughly 2 years of practice, something finally clicked: I could play a song without stumbling, and I began to feel like a real musician. Now, almost 5 years in, I can see how much further I’ve come, yet I also understand the areas that still need growth.

5 YEARS INTO THE JOURNEY

It took me about two years of playing guitar to start feeling more confident in my music. Now, nearly five years into my creative journey, my music is more refined, but I can clearly see the work that still lies ahead.

Zooming Out with Amie McNee’s Wisdom

Hanlan’s words reminded me of what Amie McNee teaches artists about “zooming out.” Amie, an author and creativity coach, guides artists in embracing imperfection and accepting the ebbs and flows of creative work. She encourages us to “zoom out,” helping us to see the bigger picture in times of frustration or self-doubt. When we’re caught up in a cycle of questioning our skills or feeling like we’re getting nowhere, Amie’s advice is simple: take a step back and look at how far you’ve come.

This idea of zooming out helps us in two powerful ways:

1) ACKNOWLEDING PROGRESS
When we zoom out, we recognize all the growth and progress we’ve made up until this point. Just two years ago, I struggled with basic chord changes. Now I can lead songs, hold space in a ceremony, and play complex rhythms. It’s an incredible reminder of what we can accomplish over time.

2) PROJECTING FUTURE GROWTH
Zooming out allows us to see where we might be headed. If we just keep going, where will we be in one, three, five, or even ten years? Visualizing this future version of ourselves can provide the motivation we need to push through the challenges of today.

NATE, HANLAN & DAD HONEYWELL IN FREIBURG

Spending time with Hanlan and his brother also taught me that, as musicians, we’re never truly “done.” The room for growth and development is endless – and that’s all (the fun) part of the journey.

Practical Tips for Embracing the Long Game

Here are some ways you can adopt the long-game mentality in your own creative journey, that have helped me a lot over the past years:

SET MICRO-GOALS
Break big goals down into smaller, manageable steps. Celebrate each small achievement along the way, knowing it’s part of a bigger picture. Rather than aiming to practice for an hour daily – which can feel daunting and lead to inconsistency – start with a more achievable goal, like 10 minutes. Over time, even a steady 10 minutes a day will bring you closer to your vision. I wrote an entire post on how small, consistent steps are far more effective than intense bursts that often lead to burnout and quitting altogether.

DOCUMENT YOUR PROGRESS
Keep a journal or record clips of your practice sessions to track your growth over time—seeing your progress can be a powerful motivator. When I started recording myself, it took courage. I worried that watching the footage would reveal all my flaws, triggering my inner critic and discouraging me from playing altogether. To make it easier, I came up with a trick: I would record myself but promise not to watch the videos right away. Instead, I saved all my recordings in a folder on my phone. Later, when I felt more confident, I had an entire archive of my development to look back on and see how far I’d come. So, if recording feels intimidating, remember that just because you commit to capturing your practice doesn’t mean you have to watch it right away!

TAKE A COMPARISON DETOX
Consider unfollowing or temporarily muting the artists and musicians you admire. While it's great to be inspired by others, seeing amazing musicians every day, especially in the early stages, can feel overwhelming and leave you questioning your own progress. If the algorithm continues to fill your feed with new, impressive musicians despite unfollowing, you could even create a separate account where music content isn’t present at all. Give yourself the space to focus on your journey without constant comparison—your growth deserves that attention.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
Instead of only following “end-product musicians,” consider following creative coaches like Amie McNee and Jen Butler, who remind us that growth is often subtle and gradual. What I especially appreciate about these two is their commitment to being real, authentic, and imperfect. They swear. Amie uses the word fuck… a lot. Jen is weird. I love how weird she is. They openly share their struggles. Jen inspired me with her journey through self-doubt and depression. Amie served as a role model, in embodying Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, bringing it to life in a way that feels relatable. Both are refreshingly candid, showing us that they don’t have it all figured out (and for sure don’t pretend that they have), and they embrace the messiness along the way. Their content has been crucial for my own progress, reminding me that imperfection and growth go hand in hand.

PRACTICE SELF-COMPASSION
Growth takes time. Allow yourself to feel frustrated, but remind yourself that this is all part of the game. Just keep going.

VISUALIZE YOUR CREATIVE FUTURE
Picture yourself a few years down the line: How might your art evolve if you remain dedicated? Visualization is something I love doing during quiet moments, like when I’m riding in the car. I’ll listen to music and imagine that I created it, which immediately sparks ideas about the skills I’d need to make that a reality – things like learning harmony or becoming familiar with music production software, like Ableton. And soon enough, I find myself naturally taking these steps in my everyday life.

This habit of visualizing my creative future now feels second nature, but in the beginning, I practiced it actively. I’d journal about it during my morning writing routine, using prompts like, “What kind of musician will I be when I’m 40?” It helped reprogram my mind to naturally envision my goals and break them into actionable steps. Over time, this vision has become a steady anchor, keeping me grounded and motivated through the inevitable rough patches.

Conclusion

Embracing the long game has taught me that our creative dreams are worth the time they require. Growth is not linear, nor is it always immediately satisfying. But if we zoom out, we’ll see that each small step contributes to a much bigger picture. From struggling to transition between chords to traveling the world with music as my guide, I’ve learned that every little step is worth it.

Whether you’re just starting or you’ve been creating for years, remember to zoom out, stay patient, and keep your vision alive.

P.S. Want more inspiration to help you align with your vision of becoming the most amazing musician you can be? Sign up for my newsletter!

P.P.S. For practical guidance on embracing imperfection, check out my free eBook The Creative Musician’s Guide to Embracing Imperfection to help you overcome self-doubt and negative self-talk, especially in those early stages.

Don’t forget to check out The Brothers Honeywell on Spotify!

Be sure to check out the Brothers Honeywell and their music on Spotify or Bandcamp – and follow them on Instagram to see where they’re busking next!