[TPIN] How does one hang in there when really, really discouraged?

[kanstulpicc-tpin at yahoo.com]

  I think you have answered your own question.  You _need_ opportunities
  to perform with and for other musicians who will encourage you.  If you
  can't find such encouragers, you won't stick with it.
   
  Find a community band, or a small pick-up ensemble at a church
  and play music you enjoy.  A well-run band or small music group
  will be a great encouragement to all of its players and will give you
  motivation to take the horn out of the case.
   
  I'll bet there is something that you do well on the trumpet: ryhthm,
  articulation, tone, pitch, style, something........
  Be sure you _do_ that thing every time you practice.  It's like a reward
  to yourself for bothering to take the time out of the rest of your life and devote
  it to music.  If it's tone you do well, play a simple arpeggio or scale and
  bask in the sound.  If it's rhythm, play a rhythm that you love and just enjoy
  how it feels.
   
  Some days my mechanics don't seem to be working right.  Well, I make sure
  I play something that I can sound good on just to feel good about my playing.
   
  And finally, don't give up on the trumpet because of bad days or discouraging
  comments.  Almost anything worth doing requires perseverance.
   
  Regards,
  Tim Swensen
   
  

smatt401 at dotnet.com wrote:
    .........
  .........
  I'd like to hang it up . . . but I've been playing trumpet (badly, I'll admit) since 1963 and it's 
a part of me, a part of me that's really hurting, however. It's really hard to practice the 
trumpet/flugelhorn/bugle right now, without any opportunities to perform with other 
musicians, without encouragement . . . 

So, how does one hang in there and keep playing trumpet, even when really, really 
discouraged?

S.M.M.